AESI - New Mental Health Center in Hagerstown Opens

		New Mental Health Center in Hagerstown Opens Celebrates Ribbon Cutting, AESI Receives Praise for Engineering and Project Management Contact: Mark Lannon, The Mental Health Center, 301-791-7891 Rich Reichenbaugh, Associated Engineering Sciences, Inc., 301-797-9160 (Hagerstown, MD Feb. 25, 2003) -- The Mental Health Center's new facility off Eastern Boulevard in Hagerstown celebrated its newly completed facility with a ribbon cutting ceremony. According to Executive Director Mark Lannon, "It's wonderful to be in our new building. We started moving in two weeks ago, and we're excited about our new building." The new building totals 27,000 square feet, and first began construction less than a year ago. "We needed a new facility, because we had grown significantly during the past decade. Our services were spread out over three separate facilities in and around Hagerstown, and this centralized new building has been a long awaited and necessary project." Licensed by the State of Maryland for Outpatient Mental Health, Psychiatric Mobile Treatment and Psychiatric Rehabilitation, The Mental Health Center serves more than 1,350 people in the Washington County area. The Mayor and City Council of Hagerstown joined with the Washington County Board of County Commissioners to officially open the new Mental Health Center. According to Board of County Commissioners President Greg Snook, "We welcome this new facility to Hagerstown and Washington County. We're very pleased at this investment in our community, and we appreciate the new health care efficiencies being offered to our citizens." Official city and county proclamations were presented to the Executive Director Mark Lannon and the President of the Board of Directors, Joyce Martin. Mayor Bill Breichner welcomed the new facility, saying, "Hagerstown is greatly enhanced by this project. The new Mental Health Center is a wonderful addition for our community's health care." The Mental Health Center has been operating in Washington County for ten years, and Executive Director Mark Lannon said, "Our Board of Directors, our staff, and our consultants have been working hard to make this new building a reality." Associated Engineering Sciences, Inc. has been the Site Civil Engineer and Project Manager, BMGM Architects designed the building, Waynesboro Construction built the facility, and ARK Systems and Planet Technologies were contracted to install voice and data network systems. "We have had a great team bringing this project to reality. It doesn't seem like that long ago that this project was in the earliest of planning stages, we are all very pleased that it has gone so well." Lannon pointed out some minor touch-up work was still on-going, "It's been a challenge building a new facility, during one of the worst winters in recent history. I'm very proud with all that has been accomplished." According to Rich Reichenbaugh, principal for Associated Engineering Sciences, Inc., "We had a terrific team to work with on this project. We were able to finish on time, and under budget. The citizens of Washington County and the surrounding area should know that the overall spectrum of mental health care has been greatly enhanced with the addition of this new medical facility." Reichenbaugh said that the project created more than 100 contracting jobs during construction. Lannon said that the staff and management team of The Mental Health Center has grown. "We have a total work force of over 130 employees, and we've been adding to our staff. We needed more space, and a more efficient way to serve our growing number of clients." The services offered by The Mental Health Center include outpatient services with a staff of licensed psychiatrists, social workers, professional counselors, direct care workers, and nurses. Specialized services offered by The Mental Health Center include adult foster care, therapeutic foster care, employee assistance consulting and training, and school counseling. The organization also owns and manages a program in Garrett County. The new building at 1180 Professional Court offers ground level entry on two levels. Additionally, the psychiatric rehabilitation offices will offer access to quality computer equipment for vocational and educational activities to assist consumers to enter the work force. The new facility also has a convenient modern kitchen and laundry training area, as well as equipment to help consumers learn self sufficiency and support skills. The Mental Health Center's new rehabilitation area offers a large exercise room for therapeutic movement, visual motor integration activities, and exercise for consumers and staff. The building is fully wired and the Mental Health Center is implementing a new state of the art practice management MIS program. Lannon says that the facility will be a good place to visit, and to work, "The property will offer scenic trails and activity areas for bird watching, gardening and walking. We will now have a large meeting room with audio visual capacities for community training and meetings. The new building offers a lot more for our patients, including separate waiting and treatment areas for adults and children." Lannon also said that the new building is cheerful, with lots of windows and a skylight for maximum use of natural lighting. In November of 2001, the Hagerstown City Council issued approximately $3-million revenue bonds for the new facility. Hagerstown is not at risk for repaying the bond because revenue bonds will be repaid solely by the group receiving the money. The Mental Health Center obtained the nearly $3 million in bonds to pay for the construction and equipping of its new building. According to Mark Lannon, "We couldn't have moved forward without help in financing this project, and we want to thank the City of Hagerstown, and also our financial team at F & M Bank and Trust for helping make this project a reality." The Mental Health Center is a private and independent, not-for-profit community mental health center. # # # # << back to news