WELCH - Officials are hoping to have a drug treatment center up and running in McDowell County sometime this fall.

Judy Akers, director chief executive office of Southern Highlands Community Mental Health Center, said the organization is working with West Virginia University to have the clinic set up sometime this fall.

"We are working with West Virginia University on setting up the clinic and they are waiting on grant approval," Akers said. "They have submitted an application. We wanted to start the first of September, but we have to wait on grant approval. Right now we don't have a projected date, but my hope is we will just have a couple weeks delay. We have our staff ready and just need the approval from WVU to go ahead. WVU will supply the doctor who is required for the clinic. I don't anticipate a long delay. It is just a matter of them getting the go ahead."

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