A groundbreaking ceremony was held on Monday for the future 5,000-square-foot Trinity Behavioral Care facility on Highway 9 and Davids Pond Road. From left are Carrie Townsend, Trinity board member; Diane Hall, deputy director of Trinity; Claudette Parker, MAT director; Farrah Webster, director of administration; Rep. Pat Henegan; Danny Brock, Trinity executive director; Jeriot Burr, FBi Construction; Bradley George, board member; and Clio native Mark Palmer, architect.
In about a year, Trinity Behavioral Care in Marlboro County will have a place of its own again.
A groundbreaking ceremony was held on Monday for the future 5,000-square-foot facility on Highway 9 and Davids Pond Road.
Donny Brock Jr, executive director of Trinity Behavioral Care, said it would be the first dedicated alcohol and drug addiction prevention treatment center since 2015.
In 2014, Trinity was forced to leave its Marlboro County-owned space due to mold issues. They were fortunate to have the option to rent a small space within the Tri-County Mental Health Clinic complex.
Currently, they have capacity for 150-200 clients a year, but Brock said they are treating 350-400.
“The new facility will allow us to triple the current capacity,” he said.
In 2022, The General Assembly fully funded Trinity’s $3 million project.
Brock said Trinity’s funding requests every year are generated by local need.
In 2005, there was a situation in Marlboro County, and the county council asked if the Marion-Dillon Alcohol Drug Commission would temporarily operate services for the county. Brock said they have been in Marlboro County since that request for temporary assistance in 2005.
He thanked Tri-County Mental Health for providing them a place to operate from.
He also thanked the Trinity board members, staff, CareSouth Carolina, the Northeastern Rural Health Network, and the Marlboro County Coalition.
Rep. Pat Henegan said it was a great day for Marlboro County and for future patients, staff, the town, neighborhoods, and the entire community.
“It is an honor seeing a dream of having a Trinity Behavioral Care site in Marlboro County. It’s finally coming to fruition,” she said.
She noted it was not easy to get to this point, and many years of work had been done.
The project is slated to be completed by Dec. 2023.
“And hopefully, we’ll be able to open the doors in early 2024,” Henegan said.
The facility will house adolescent and adult outpatient treatment, prevention services, intensive outpatient treatment, on-site medication, medication-assisted therapy, evidence-based treatment, opiate use disorder, a conference room, and much more to serve those in need of help.
“This is a defining moment for Trinity Behavioral Care,” she said. “We already know what the impact is going to be for this facility. It will not be just for Marlboro County, but it will be extended to whoever needs to be here.”