A hospital in a rural eastern Indiana county hit hard by opioid abuse is planning to start a drug detoxification unit emphasizing treatment for those diagnosed with HIV.
Fayette Regional Hospital in Connersville says the 46-bed unit will provide treatment for about a week for patients with severe intoxication or withdrawal problems and mental health disorders. The unit is meant to stabilize the patient before moving to another treatment program.
Fayette Regional Health System plans opening the new unit by mid-2018. The hospital is receiving a federal grant of nearly $10 million through the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program to start the unit.
Officials say Fayette County has seen a 40 percent increase in drug- or alcohol-related deaths in the past year and has the state's highest county drug overdose death rate.