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By Rose Hooper
Brooks at Balsam will close its assisted living center July 25,
and families with residents there, including several from Jackson
County, are being notified this week of their need to find other
arrangements.
"Our corporate objective has been to establish and operate a
successful assisted living center in the Brooks facility," said
administrator Judith Frampton.
After a year in operation, the 52-bed facility is operating at
half capacity.
"The decision to close the facility was strictly a business decision,"
said Doug Suddreth, the company's director of corporate development.
The property will be purchased by Smoky Mountain Development
Foundation, which will use the facility as a crisis stabilization
unit. The sale is scheduled to close on or before Aug. 15, Suddreth
said.
"We will assist our residents in transferring to another facility
or location of their choice," said Suddreth, "There are sufficient
vacancies out there, and we want to make sure it is a smooth transition
for them.
" In this area, Brooks at Balsam is the only assisted living
facility; other adult care units operate as nursing homes.
"They are all licensed the same," said Suddreth. "The difference
with assisted living is that the residents mainly just need assistance,
not full-time licensed nursing care."
"It is not our intent to displace anyone," said Shelly Lackey,
Smoky Mountain Center's community relations coordinator. "We are
working with Brooks for a smooth transition.
"Their decision to close was made long before our offer to purchase,"
continued Lackey, who stressed that Smoky Mountain would not begin
operating its facility until the fall.
"We've been taking about providing a crisis stabilization unit
for about a year and have been in an intensive planning process
for the past eight months," said Doug Trantham, SMC's service
management director.
"We've had stakeholder team meetings throughout the seven westernmost
counties, and the number one priority coming out of those meetings
is to have a crisis stabilization unit in this area. It allows
us to serve people in crisis here at home, where they can be close
to their family," said Trantham.
Both children and adults who need emergency help managing mental
health and substance abuse will be served in this new facility
for up to 15 days.
The state legislature not only approved this new service but
added funds to support it.
"I think it is one of the most positive aspects of the state
reform plan for mental health," said Lackey.
Trantham said the new facility will offer employment opportunities
for health care professionals.
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