Legends Recovery opens in Green Springs
GREEN SPRINGS — People looking for addiction recovery services now have a new, local in-patient treatment facility where they can start on the road to sobriety.
Legends Recovery Center of Ohio opened its doors in July and held an open house and grand opening event at the company's new Green Springs facility Thursday.
Nate Kehlmeier, Legends' executive director, said he's been involved in just about every aspect of the addiction recovery field in the past 13-14 years.
His work history includes openeting the Recovery Institute of Ohio in 2019 and making a one-minute video in 2016 for the Mental Health and Recovery Services Board of Seneca, Sandusky and Wyandot Counties as part of the board's efforts to reach out to residents and educate them about the impacts of drug addiction.
Legends Recovery has room for up to 40 clients, 27 male and 13 female, with separate wings in the facility for males and females.
Kehlmeier said Legends has a 7-10 day treatment program focused on withdrawal management and medical detox, with medication-assisted treatment.
"The clients are the most important thing to me," Kehlmeier said.
Renovations on Legends' N. Broadway Street facility took at least a year, Kehlmeier said.
Kehlmeier said he got connected with Legends' owner at the end of 2021 and was asked to serve as the facility's executive director.
The facility had raised concerns last summer among Green Springs Village Council members and some residents worried about Legends' close proximity to Green Springs Elementary School.
Kehlmeier attended Green Springs Village Council meetings March 21 and July 18, according to village council meeting minutes, to introduce himself to council members and provide updates on the new facility.
Police Chief Amy Dickman also gave updates to the council earlier this year about the facility's licensing process and security being provided at the site, according to the minutes.
Kehlmeier said there would be new fencing going up to add onto an existing fence between Legends and the elementary school.
He said there are alarms on all of the facility's doors, 24-hour supervision of clients and trained staff to handle any situation where a client leaves treatment early.
"Anything they've asked us to do, we accomplished," Kehlmeier said, adding that his biggest goal with the village is to be accepted and a service to the community.
Kehlmeier said, currently, all of the facility's 17 clients are from Northwest Ohio, including some from Sandusky County.
Jim Posey, a health educator with Sandusky County Public Health, attended Thursday's open house at Legends.
Posey said there are at least four different addiction recovery centers in Sandusky County.
He said the county is "getting there" in terms of having enough in-patient and outpatient services to serve the needs of residents struggling with addiction.
Legends Recovery has formed a good partnership with the county's health department and Prevention Partnership Coalition, Posey said.
"We are glad Legends is here," Posey said.
dacarson@gannett.com
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Twitter: @DanielCarson7