Guam Governor Lou Leon Guerrero and Lt. Gov. Joshua Tenorio continued their tour of government facilities assessing what they’ve inherited from the former Calvo administration. During a stop at the Guam Behavioral Health and Wellness Center which deals with a variety of community social and psychiatric issues, Gov. Leon Guerrero, professionally trained as a nurse, told the staff and a large media entourage that it’s a key facility, but one that’s been lacking a crucial service for years.
“During our campaign we talked about, drug addiction is very high here, suicide is very high here, bullying is very high here. There’s a lot of social issues.”
But drug and alcohol addiction and the needed detoxification of such patients has long been consigned to Guam Memorial Hospital. Before that, Behavioral Health had a detox unit, but Super Typhoon Pongsona, in 2002, trashed the third floor of the building and forced a shuffling and relocation of various functions.
Lt. Gov. Tenorio, Gov. Leon Guerrero look over the soon to re-open detox facility
“We found the money, we have the money to open our third floor detox unit,” said Gov. Leon Guerrero, “and we’re going to have a pilot project with six beds and this is going to be a controlled environment where someone who is drug addicted to come and detox here. I’m pretty sure you guys are going to create a very good program of detoxing. It is something that is very void in our community. The only place they go for detox is the hospital. But the hospital is an acute care facility and really, they are the experts for medical issues. You guys are the experts for our social, mental health issues and wellness. So the best place is here.”
Behavioral Health and Wellness Center Director Therese Arriola