HAVERHILL — Whittier Health Network is talking to state health officials about opening a psychiatric hospital at 76 Summer St. — the longtime home of the company's 60-bed rehabilitation hospital that moved to Ward Hill over the weekend.
Jennifer Kritz, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Mental Health, said the department is working with Whittier on the proposal, but that the health care company has not yet filed a formal application for the psychiatric facility. A license from the Mental Health Department is the only state approval that is required, she said.
State regulations require the Department of Mental Health to make a decision within 90 days of receiving an application, but the review process does not call for public notification or a public hearing, Kritz said.
The 52,000-square-foot Summer Street facility, which opened in 1982, is in a residential neighborhood, just east of downtown and a short walk from the public library and City Hall.
Mayor James Fiorentini said he has talked about Whittier's intentions, but nothing official from Dr. Alfred L. Arcidi, who founded and runs the network with sons Alfred J., Philip and Michael. Fiorentini said he heard one report that the psychiatric hospital would include a methadone clinic for heroin addicts.
"I called Dr. Arcidi Friday when I heard about methadone and he assured me that's not part of their plans, but that's all I know," Fiorentini said. "They haven't asked the city for anything, and they haven't told us anything. I would have thought they would have come to us sooner to talk about this, but they didn't. Obviously, there are a lot of concerns, but it depends on what exactly they want to do, and we just don't know yet.
"When they come forward with a plan, we'll take into account the concerns of the neighbors and the city in general, and we'll give it careful consideration," the mayor said.
Jeff Ventola, a spokesman for the Whittier network, declined to comment yesterday, except to say the Arcidis would publicly reveal their plans for the Summer Street facility soon.
Haverhill Economic Development Director William Pillsbury said city zoning would require Whittier to obtain a special permit from the City Council before opening a psychiatric hospital on Summer Street. The company also would need a second special permit for an alcohol- or drug-treatment facility, he said.
Pillsbury said he, too, has heard talk about Whittier plans for Summer Street, including that the company was considering opening a facility for patients with dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
"I would have expected them to have had a lengthy conversation with us before making such a proposal, just as they did when they were contemplating their move to Ward Hill," Pillsbury said. "But it hasn't happened yet."
On Saturday, the rehabilitation hospital completed its long-anticipated move from Summer Street to its new home four miles away in the Ward Hill Business Park, near Interstate 495. The state-of-the-art medical complex is a renovated industrial building overlooking the Ward Hill Connector, which is the main road running from the interstate highway through the business park to Route 125.
Prior to the move, Whittier officials said they intended to continue to operate medical offices and specialty health care services at the Summer Street facility. All 60 beds and 48 patients that were at Summer Street have been transferred to rooms three times as large in the new Ward Hill hospital.
The Whittier network includes 10 rehabilitation hospitals, health care centers and nursing homes in Greater Haverhill and throughout the state. Hannah Duston Healthcare Center, The Whittier Pharmacist Inc. and Whittier Healthcare Agency are members of the network in Haverhill. The company currently does not operate any psychiatric hospitals.
