Southwest Behavioral Care seeks New Kensington's OK for move to new office building

A nonprofit that provides outpatient mental health and substance abuse services to children and adults is looking to move to larger quarters in New Kensington.

Southwest Behavioral Care, an affiliate of Southwestern Pennsylvania Human Services (SPHS), is at capacity at its offices at 408 Eighth St., said Cheryld Emala, chief operating officer for SPHS. It wants to move into a vacant office building about a half-mile away at 400 Industrial Blvd.

Emala said they have been looking for a new space for about a year.

“We have referrals on hold because we can’t hire more people to serve the clients in need,” she said. “We’ve been happy there. We just need more space.”

Moving to the building will require a conditional use approval from city council. Council is scheduled to hold a hearing on the request at 6:30 p.m. April 5. The hearing will be held on Zoom, followed by the regular council meeting at 7 p.m.

The building is in the city’s I-2, general industrial zoning district, where office buildings are permitted only as an accessory to an industrial use, zoning Officer Tony Males said. For Southwest Behavioral Care, the office would be the primary use.

The city’s planning commission has recommended approval. Males said the only condition was that the agency continue offering the same services as at its present site, as there have never been any problems.

City council also can add conditions in approving the use of the building, Males said.

Southwest Behavioral Care has locations in Monessen, Greensburg, Latrobe, Uniontown and Charleroi.

“We really individualize our services to meet what that community needs,” Emala said. “It has been very rewarding to work with the people in New Kensington.”

In addition to adding 13 to 17 new staff, Emala said the New Kensington site will get a Center of Excellence for opiate-related substance abuse. She said it would help those who become addicted to opiates after getting prescriptions for painkillers as well as heroin.

SPHS has Centers of Excellence in Washington and Monessen.

Adding that service is one reason more space was needed in New Kensington, Emala said.

“We definitely want to stay in New Kensington. We know that there’s definitely a need. We really enjoy the clients that we serve,” she said.

If city council approves the use, Emala said they would be ready to move in two months, after doing some renovation and handling licensing matters.

“We’re excited for our clients to have a really nice space,” she said. “The staff are super excited.”