California Palms treatment center set to serve veterans

Staff report

AUSTINTOWN

The California Palms Addiction Recovery Campus, the former hotel that businessman Sebastian Rucci recently converted into a drug-addiction treatment facility, is set to begin treating military veterans.

Rucci said the center has gotten approval to participate in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ Veterans Choice Program, which allows eligible veterans to seek private care in lieu of care at VA facilities. Rucci said the facility is set to take in about a dozen veterans Monday.

The center has the capacity to house more than 200 people and will eventually take in more patients.

“We provide dual-diagnosis inpatient care for veterans with substance use disorders and PTSD. We will continue to serve local patients also through Medicaid,” Rucci said.

“The difference is, from a public perspective, we’re going to focus exclusively on veterans,” he said.

He said the center will give veterans priority, and will accept nonveteran patients if space allows. In the future, Rucci might look to add a site for nonveterans and make this facility veteran-exclusive.

CaliPARC is based at the former California Palms, the resort-style hotel in which Rucci invested approximately $5 million to renovate. Rucci announced in January that rather making the hotel part of a hotel-chain franchise to reach higher occupancy rates, he would convert the site into a dual-diagnosis drug-treatment center. Rucci has been personally affected by the area’s drug-abuse epidemic, losing two younger brothers to drugs.

CaliPARC retains some of the resort’s atmosphere.

“The patients will live in resort style rooms with private bathrooms in a safe and secure environment,” Rucci said, noting the facility’s numerous amenities.

CaliPARC also offers 24/7 inpatient counseling, mental-health assessments and therapy provided by behavioral health professionals.

“We believe the long-term inpatient care in a beautiful facility, with experienced counselors, and evidence- based courses will provide our nation’s veterans with the tools to return to active life,” Rucci said.