news-record.com

The Guilford Center has been issued two administrative penalties for violating state statutes regarding medication requirements and clinical and nursing competence following the death of a patient in January, a county agency said today.

On Monday, a branch of the state's Department of Health and Human Services issued the penalties following an onsite complaint survey completed on May 27, according to the Guilford Center Behavioral Health and Disability Services.

The 56-bed facility in High Point helps people with substance-abuse problems but without insurance.

In a separate notice received Monday, the health and human services suspended admissions at the treatment center pending submission and approval of a plan to correct those problems and an on site re-inspection.

The Guilford Center holds the certificate of licensure for the substance abuse treatment center. It contracts with Bridgeway Behavioral Health, Inc. for its operation.

A plan to correct the problems must be submitted to the health and human services by June 23.

The state's complaint investigation followed the Jan. 14 death of a resident undergoing non-hospital detoxification at the West Wendover site, according to the Guilford Center.

The health and human service's examination of the death found it was not caused by any action or inaction on the part of Bridgeway Behavioral Health.

"Considering the nature of the violations and the State's past and current sanctions on the substance abuse treatment center, the Guilford Center and Bridgeway Behavioral Health have mutually agreed that it is in the best interest of Guilford County consumers to transition the substance abuse treatment program to a new provider," Billie M. Pierce, director of the Guilford Center, said in a written statement.

Bridgeway will continue to operate the facility until a provider search has been completed.

In August 2008, several months after it opened, the state ordered the center closed after citing problems including poorly kept records of patient medications and staff training, letting patients self-medicate and keeping medications improperly locked.

The center was able to begin admitting patients a month later following an inspection.