CLEARFIELD – The hearing for a drug treatment facility in DuBois is scheduled to be heard Thursday.
A hearing for injunctive relief against the drug treatment facility was originally scheduled Nov. 1. The City of DuBois is contesting that the facility operates to close to Beaver Meadow Walkway, a walkway that the city says is a public park. It is the city’s argument that this would violate Act 10, a state law that prohibits the proximity of methadone treatment facilities from places such as schools, public parks, churches, residential housing and other places as well.
On Oct. 9, Toni Cherry, DuBois City solicitor, had asked that the facility not open their doors until matters could be looked at. RHJ Medical Center in DuBois opened on Oct. 10.
During an interview with the GantDaily News Team, Kathy Jones, CEO of RHJ Medical Center, stated that she believed the facility was in compliance with Act 10 because the Department of Health and other agencies had licensed the facility. She said that she did not believe the Department of Health would license the center if they believed there to be an Act 10 violation.
If the drug treatment facility is found to be in violation of Act 10, it would be the second such facility in Clearfield County to be found in violation. Earlier in the year, the Clearfield County Planning Commission found that Discovery House, located in Pike Township, violated Act 10 because the facility was within 500 feet of a Rails to Trails walkway.
The case is to be heard by Clearfield County President Judge Fredric J. Ammerman. Ammerman granted a temporary injunction on Oct. 27. Since then, RHJ Medical Center has been closed. The facility was also ordered to cover their sign on Beaver Drive.