Addiction Treatment Tug-of-War Heats Up in Shelby County

Get ready for a showdown! Bradford Health Services is challenging Longleaf Recovery & Wellness's bid to build Longleaf Lodge, a proposed 60-bed addiction treatment center in Sterrett's Sunshine Farms.

The CON Review Board will be hearing all about it on October 15th. This isn't the first time Bradford's tried to block the project.

Background on the Battle

Back in March, the Statewide Health Coordinating Council gave the thumbs up (with Governor Ivey's signature) to add 60 new substance-use treatment beds in Shelby County. Big names like Lt. Governor Will Ainsworth and Speaker of the House Nathaniel Ledbetter are backing Longleaf.

Who is Longleaf?

Longleaf already runs four outpatient clinics in Alabama and has helped over 1,600 folks since 2021. Longleaf Lodge would include 10 detox beds and 50 residential beds, offering a much-needed option for commercially insured patients not tied to Bradford.

The Monopoly Debate

Some say Bradford pretty much has a lock on residential addiction treatment in Alabama. They run campuses in Warrior and Madison, with the Warrior site boasting a whopping 182 beds!

Bradford argues this expansion is a no-go, pointing to their own campus capacity. But Longleaf says the need is REAL.

Longleaf's Perspective

Longleaf says Alabama's shortage is sending patients out of state for treatment. Their Birmingham center alone refers over 40 patients a month elsewhere. And let's not forget Alabama's overdose rate has more than doubled since 2014.

The Stakes are High

"Alabama families don’t need another delay. They need a place to heal close to home," says Longleaf CEO Colin Harris. He adds their plan is ready to roll. "Every month we wait is another month of Alabama families driving hundreds of miles, paying more for care, or giving up altogether."

"This is about doing what’s right for Alabamians."