The Need
The Need
"The late, great Monsignor Ignatius “Father Mac” McDermott would be proud. His famous drug and alcohol rehab organization, the Haymarket Center, kept its doors open to all – including the homeless and uninsured – needing drug and alcohol treatment during this COVID-19 pandemic. CEO Dr. Dan Lustig successfully steered 58 patients in treatment through their internal quarantine procedures."
"Last year (2018), more than 57,000 DuPage County residents went without recovery services they needed (DHS). Sadly, our rate of age adjusted heroin overdose consistently exceed national rates. For those concerned with issues of public safety, I would simply offer my opinion that treatment access will result in demonstrably safer communities. People in treatment are trying to get better; we need to support that effort in any way we can."
"We need to address the opioid crisis holistically. A key component will be to expand the number of treatment beds available in DuPage County. Haymarket can help to bridge that gap, particularly for those in need."
"Haymarket believed in me and got me to where I am today. I’ve lost so many friends and they all lived in the vicinity of Itasca. I want to say to my neighbors, we have an opportunity to change the world for the better. Haymarket does save lives. They saved mine."
"My son was your everyday suburban kid: Boy Scouts, baseball, soccer – he had a heart of gold. We are a good, hardworking family that took time to sit down at the same table every night for dinner. By the time my son turned 26, he had lost 8 close friends to this disease. I lost my own son on December 19, 2017 at the age of 26. This disease does not discriminate, and it is here in our own backyard. The lack of available treatment in our area forced us to send our son out of state for treatment, and he ended up in unregulated treatment centers where he didn’t get the help he needed. To have Haymarket in the Chicagoland suburbs could prevent this from happening to other families like ours."
"The time is now to bring these needed services to our region. The loss of one more child, brother, sister, parent or friend is one too many."
"Right now, people have to leave the county to get (care). I think through Haymarket coming into DuPage and their investment in our community, it will go a long way to getting our residents the treatment they need."
"Local residents have expressed concerns for community safety. As the nation’s leading safety advocate, no one is more focused on the safety of our own community than the National Safety Council. For the first time in U.S. history, a person’s lifetime odds of dying from an accidental opioid overdose have eclipsed the odds of dying from a motor vehicle crash. We must do everything we can to curtail opioid misuse and help those who are struggling with substance use disorders get the treatment they need to live their fulfilled lives." Read the full NSC release here
"In spite of being a police officer and with all my training, I was unprepared to deal with my son’s addiction. We tried to get him to help only to find out that centers were closed or could not take him. It became a battle to find treatment. Friday (September 20, 2019) marks the 10th anniversary of his death. A decade has passed and it hasn’t gotten better, it’s gotten worse. We are in the midst of an epidemic and we need to do the right thing."
"The day after our son passed away from a heroin overdose a good friend came to our door. She grabbed both my arms and looked me straight in the eyes and said, ‘Patti, sometimes chemotherapy works and sometimes it doesn’t, and we don’t know why… Sometimes rehab works and sometimes it doesn’t, and we don’t know why.’ Rehab is the medicine for the disease of addiction. It gives hope to an addict and to their entire family."
"Haymarket is a great neighbor and community partner and has been a leader in helping to revitalize the West Loop. The reason that the opioid epidemic is ravaging our nation is that there are not enough facilities like Haymarket Center."
"Haymarket’s proposal provides an essential, local option for residents seeking drug rehabilitation services and dedicating themselves to recovery in our county… These are our neighbors, our family members, our friends, our co-workers… This is so compelling – the need in our community – that I am enthusiastically supportive of it."
"Mental illnesses and addiction are diseases of the brain that can foster hopelessness and despair. On top of this, people often have to fight social stigma and discrimination. The good news is that recovery from mental illnesses and addiction is possible. For this reason and more, I support the expansion of Haymarket Center’s lifesaving, nationally known evidence-based services to DuPage County. " Read the full article here
"The stigma surrounding the opioid crisis and those affected is truly discouraging. Let our family be an example of the type of clients who may be in the Haymarket program: a pretty typical intact, educated, middle to upper middle-class family, with kids who are good students and were actively involved in so many extra-curricular and community activities. Our son, Matt participated in treatment programs, some that were in the heard of middle-class communities and even next door to an elementary school. After the loss of my son, my family and I remain frustrated with the lack of care in our community so that patients can be close to their families and support systems."
"Last year (2018), DuPage County experienced 92 overdose deaths. It is very apparent that we need to be doing more for all of our residents to prevent these tragedies and offer a place where people can seek treatment and care."
"The need for person-centered substance use disorder prevention, treatment, and recovery services in Illinois has never been more acute. The novel coronavirus only accelerated growing numbers of overdose deaths near Itasca…Haymarket Center’s expansion to Itasca and DuPage County will help to meet this need and provide space to safely administer life-saving care."
"I believe the Haymarket Center will be a beacon of hope and support that we all can be proud in making a positive difference in the lives of people."
You have questions, we have answers
Haymarket Center is one of the region's largest and most comprehensive providers of treatment for substance use disorders and mental health conditions. Haymarket was founded in 1975 by Monsignor Ignatius McDermott and Dr. James West, and is a fully accredited, nonprofit organization, licensed by the Illinois Department of Human Services.
An independent evaluation of our recovery coaching program showed outstanding outcomes, including 87% of individuals reporting a reduction in substance use, 64% decrease in mental health symptoms and 74% increase in clients employed.
The Haymarket DuPage behavioral health clinic will offer the full continuum of substance use and mental health treatment for adults 18 and over. Haymarket DuPage purchased the Holiday Inn on the west side of Interstate 290 at Irving Park Road on April 6, 2020.
Haymarket Center long had an agreement with the former Holiday Inn owner to purchase the property prior to the contract expiration. The 7-acre site was selected for its B-2 zoning, which allows for healthcare facilities, as well as its location adjacent to a business park, surrounding green space and distance from any residential neighborhoods. We consider our investment in this property as a sign of our commitment to providing life-saving substance use disorder treatment and expanding access to care. It is a promise to the men and women in DuPage and surrounding collar counties who need help that we are doing everything we can to provide the care that they need.
The building is not occupied at this time. However, we have a building and grounds employee to maintain the property and we have contracted for 24-7 security.
The Illinois Emergency Management Association approached Haymarket for that purpose and evaluated the property, but ultimately decided to use another site. While we were ready and willing to assist our state and community at large, it is unfortunate rumors percolated when we did not have liberty to disclose information regarding the state’s inquiry.
Yes, as a non-profit health care provider, Haymarket will seek tax exempt status when our proposal is approved.
Haymarket DuPage patients will be residents of DuPage and the suburban collar counties who are adults, age 18 and older. They may be your neighbors, friends, coworkers and even someone you love. They come in seeking treatment, or are brought to treatment by friends and family and others concerned with their health and wanting to ensure provision of health care services to meet their individual needs. Patients are also referred by hospitals, educational institutions, first responders, company and EAP programs, and through courts as an alternative to incarceration.
Upon a patient’s arrival, Haymarket follows its central intake procedure, which includes conducting a comprehensive medical and global appraisal of individual needs (G.A.I.N.). Intake also includes a background check on each patient to ensure that we do not admit any individual with a violence charge or a sexual offense in their background.
Since the last hearing, Haymarket has worked closely with an expert in the emergency services field to evaluate its proposed program and create a structure that results in a minimal impact on Itasca’s emergency services. In Itasca, Haymarket Center will be contracting with a private ambulance service to answer basic life support (BLS) calls prior to contacting the Village’s first responders. Haymarket Center continues to be willing to meet with the Village and first responders to provide an opportunity for their direct input in developing a mutually acceptable plan. Haymarket’s EMS plan will be tailored to the needs of the Itasca facility, predicated on the best management practices.
The demand for our services continues to rise due to an increase in opioid fatalities in DuPage County. In 2017-2018, nearly 2,000 men and women from DuPage and the collar counties were patients at Haymarket clinics.
Haymarket plans to provide a full continuum of health care services to adults aged 18 and older at the Itasca location. Services will include diagnosis, treatment and recovery support for persons disabled by substance use and mental health disorders, who voluntarily seek care. Our services go far beyond the scope of most treatment programs, including:
Haymarket DuPage proposes to provide treatment options including inpatient, outpatient and recovery programs. Our individualized care ranges from outreach through recovery, adapted to suit each patient and their unique needs.
Haymarket is cognizant of the fact that much of the funding for public safety is derived from property taxes, and as a nonprofit, Haymarket will not pay property taxes upon project approval. One way Haymarket proposes reducing the Village’s economic impact is to contract with a private ambulance service for basic life support (BLS) calls. Grant funding totaling $200,000 per year was also previously identified to offset the loss of property taxes and sales taxes, but Itasca rejected the offer. In response to community concerns, Haymarket has adjusted its plans and will no longer include the women and children program or provide childcare on-site, which will eliminate any economic impact on the school district. We remain open to discussing the Village’s financial concerns and we will continue to seek grant opportunities. More importantly, Haymarket is firmly committed to bringing to Itasca a much needed health care facility, which will support the treatment needs of residents in DuPage County and the collar counties.
Haymarket is expecting to provide substance use and mental health treatment to approximately 4,750 patients a year through all of its treatment and recovery programs, including outpatient programs. We anticipate there will be between 200 and 230 patients receiving inpatient treatment and recovery support, and approximately 96 patients in outpatient treatment at any given time.
As a new business in Itasca, Haymarket is committed to being a good neighbor and strong community partner. Haymarket pledges to support community events in the Village, offer educational and training programs, partner with first responders and DuPage-area hospitals, and identify grant opportunities that bring additional financial support to the community. We have recently joined the Village of Itasca Chamber of Commerce and are excited to contribute in any way we can.
Haymarket will employ trained security staff and develop a comprehensive security plan to ensure that the center is secure. This will include video surveillance of the interior and exterior of the health facility, which will be installed and monitored in real time. Footage is maintained for one- to three-week periods.
With special issues affecting congregate settings like ours, particularly when many patients have complex medical conditions, we have been fortunate to be able to draw on significant expertise from CDPH, IDPH, the University of Illinois and Rush to best protect our patients. Early in the pandemic, we put aggressive, well-informed measures in place, including:
Haymarket was a leader in creating best practices and combating this unprecedented healthcare crisis, and we continue with these extraordinary measures with the knowledge that the path to recovery cannot shut down, even in the midst of a pandemic. We have considered all precautions to keep our employees safe, but we will not shut our doors.
Haymarket DuPage will create more than 160 new jobs for medical and counseling staff — tripling the number of current jobs at the Holiday Inn. The following types of jobs are expected to be available: Clinical Director, Medical Director, Psychiatrists, Facility Director, Facility Supervisor, Licensed Clinical Professional Counselors, Licensed Practical Nurses, Nurse Practitioners, an Information Technology Specialist, a Human Resource Specialist, Case Managers, Case Aides, Counselors, Admissions Specialists, Maintenance Personnel, Housekeeping Personnel, Security Personnel and a site Executive Administrator. A competitive hiring process will be conducted to hire experts in the field of behavioral health, with a commitment to providing preference to Itasca residents with the necessary skills.
Haymarket has provided a traffic study as part of its application for zoning which confirms that there will be no impact on area traffic conditions and sufficient parking to meet the minimal demand generated by the new use. Please refer to that study.
Traffic with outpatient patients: we expect to see approximately 96 outpatient clients daily, with half from within the recovery home thus not driving a vehicle and the other half coming to the facility either via their personal vehicle, Uber, taxi, a family member or public transportation.
Traffic due to recovery home patients: An estimated 90% of the recovery home patients are restricted from having a car on site. Some exceptions will be based on patient need subject to administrative approval.
Traffic due to visitors: Typically, around 30% of recovery patients may have a weekly visit from a family member.
Haymarket is a nonprofit organization, whose mission is to provide health care services to all patients, regardless of ability to pay. In addition to Medicaid, Haymarket is within network for several popular commercial insurance plans and is committed to working with all patients to ensure access to treatment and recovery.
The amount of time each patient is provided health care services at the facility is dependent on individual needs through a medical assessment that meets the criteria of the American Society of Addiction Medicine.
Haymarket Center has maintained financial stability for 45 years. Funding comes from federal, state, other governmental entities, foundations, private insurance and private donation sources.
For patients who have completed their full course of treatment:
For patients who want to stop treatment early:
Be a voice for hope
