Grove Farm plans to donate land to Kauai County for a proposed treatment and healing center for adolescents battling alcohol and drug addiction.

The Kauai County Council recently approved a right-of-entry and memorandum of understanding with the company in order to take necessary steps to conduct surveys, inspections and other tasks for the 5 acres of agricultural-zoned land located off Maalo Road, mauka of Hanamaulu.

The county plans to apply for a zoning change and a special state permit to use the property for a treatment center.

The Council voted 5-1 last week in support of the partnership with Grove Farm. Councilman Arryl Kaneshiro was recused from the meeting. Councilwoman JoAnn Yukimura was the sole dissenting vote, citing the lack of a financial plan.

Theresa Koki, coordinator of Life’s Choices Kauai, which provides drug and alcohol treatment resources, said that the Council’s action cleared a major hurdle for the project. “We need to have a piece of property before we continue our work. We need to let financial people know what we have in our hands.”

During the Council meeting Yukimura said, “We don’t even know how we’re going to support it and operate it.”

She proposed that the county set aside annual funding for travel and lodging expenses for adolescents and their families to seek treatment on Oahu or elsewhere.

Council Chairman Mel Rapozo, who supports the proposed treatment center, said, “It’s not a money issue; it’s a priority issue.”

Mayor Bernard Carvalho testified at the meeting that the donated land will open doors to bring in the necessary resources to operate the center.

According to Koki, operational costs for the treatment center are estimated at $1.3 million to $1.5 million a year, and construction costs are estimated at $3 million to $5 million.

The proposed treatment center would provide 10 beds for youths age 12 to 17. The cost to treat a patient is approximately $420 to $450 a day. Koki said the length of treatment would be determined on a case-by-case basis.

Both inpatient and outpatient care will be provided.

Koki said a treatment center on the island would be ideal so adolescents will be near family.

About a dozen recovering addicts who testified in strong support of the treatment center said they started drugs and alcohol in their youth and that a treatment center would help stop the addiction before the abuse continues into adulthood.

With the County Council’s approval, a special advisory committee will conduct an environmental assessment. Other areas the committee will look into are licensing and certification, and finance and fundraising for the center. Koki said the committee is also expected to put out a request for a proposal in search of a vendor to operate the facility. Visits to treatment facilities on Oahu will also be conducted to evaluate their daily operations.

According to Madeleine Hiraga-Nuccio, branch chief of the Department of Health’s Kauai Family Guidance Center, youths battling substance abuse are typically sent to the Bobby Benson Center, a residential treatment facility on Oahu. The state pays $420 a day for treatment.

Years ago Kauai had a privately run treatment facility in Kapaa called Serenity House. Six beds were available to youths, and 18 for adults, funded by the state Health, Alcohol and Drug Abuse Division.

The facility shut down in 1992 when it suffered extensive damage from Hurricane Iniki.