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Opponents of Georgetown hospital withdraw appeal

Plans move forward for 90-bed behavioral health facility
April 15, 2016

Story Location:
Georgetown, DE
United States

A proposed 90-bed behavioral health hospital in Georgetown appears to have cleared its latest hurdle when opponents of the plan announced they were withdrawing a Superior Court appeal of the hospital's approval.

Mike Gavula, director of business development for Universal Health Services' Rockford Center and Dover Behavioral Health, said in an email statement April 21 that a legal appeal submitted earlier this year has been withdrawn.

"Both organizations remain committed to supporting access to behavioral health services throughout our state, and therefore are taking the appropriate action so as not to unduly delay the availability of behavioral health services to the members of our community," the statement said.

The appeal, filed at the end of January, questioned the state Health Resources Board's October approval of a proposed SUN Behavioral Health facility, which had been slated to open in mid-2017.

Earlier this month, Delaware legislators supported the new hospital in Sussex County by proposing legislation that would give the go-ahead for construction despite pending legal appeals.

Senate Bill 226 would affirm the state Health Resources Board's October 2015 approval of a SUN Behavioral Health facility in Georgetown.

"This legislation says that due diligence has been done, the public process has been done, and there's a critical need for these services in Sussex County," said state Sen. Brian Pettyjohn, R-Georgetown, one of the bill's sponsors.

Pettyjohn said supporting legislators will move forward with the bill despite the opponents' decision to withdraw their Superior Court appeal.

Following the board's approval, attorney Jason Powell, representing Universal Health Services, filed an administrative appeal asking the board to reconsider its vote because of procedural objections and the argument that the project is too large and unneeded.

Four board members voted in December to reconsider the October approval, but five votes were needed for the motion to pass. The original approval of the project was upheld.

Pettyjohn said SUN's proposed facility is a necessity in Sussex County. The hospital includes intensive inpatient care and tiered outpatient care, 24-hour observation beds, partial hospitalization beds, and community-based and specialty programs for seniors, military, women, men, children, adolescents, detox and substance abuse.

The hospital, which would employ 175 to 200 people, would be located near the intersection of Route 9 and Route 113 near La Red Health Center and Beebe Healthcare, across from Delaware Technical Community College.

Page said the proposed bill is another example of the legislative support SUN has received in Sussex County. The current appeal has already delayed the project by more than three months.

"It's very risky for us to proceed while there are options for appeal," he said. "We have our fingers crossed. We're very hopeful we can get moving again."

As of the morning of April 21, Senate Bill 226 was awaiting a vote from the state House of Representatives. It passed the Senate April 14.

If the legislation passes, Page said, he expects only minor delays. He previously estimated a summer 2016 groundbreaking and 2017 opening for the 70,000-square-foot facility.

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