WHEREAS, Mount Regis Center, a leading addiction treatment services provider that has been a lifeline to many in the Salem community, is celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2022; and

WHEREAS, the Mount Regis Center, formerly known as White Cross Hospital, opened in April 1947 under the guidance of medical director Dr. H. N. Alford, whose innovative and effective treatments for individuals recovering from alcoholism drew patients from as far as Cincinnati, Ohio, and Tennessee; and

WHEREAS, for many years, Mount Regis Center was led by Dr. Robert Edward Paine, Jr., who prompted White Cross Hospital to expand its services to drug addiction treatment in the 1960s and who served as medical director in the 1980s; Dr. Mukesh P. Patel, a psychiatrist and board-certified addictionologist, has helmed the organization since 1985; and

WHEREAS, today, Mount Regis Center provides a full continuum of care to adult individuals seeking rehabilitation from substance abuse and certain co-occurring mental health disorders, including inpatient detox and residential treatment programs; and

WHEREAS, Mount Regis Center provides its patients with a comprehensive treatment experience, applying an evidence-based approach that employs various therapeutic interventions, including cognitive behavioral therapy and rational emotive therapy; and

WHEREAS, Mount Regis Center employs a diverse array of health care professionals to meet the myriad needs of its patients, including a medical director, physician assistants, psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, certified substance abuse counselors, licensed professional counselors, family therapists, registered nurses, and recreational therapists; and

WHEREAS, the staff at Mount Regis Center work closely with patients to identify and address the underlying emotional and behavioral issues that contribute to their addiction, helping them on their path to long-term recovery; and

WHEREAS, the staff at Mount Regis Center consistently strive to better understand their patients so they may provide them with a more individualized and effective treatment program; and

WHEREAS, the accomplishments of Mount Regis Center are a testament to the dedication of the staff, who uphold the highest standards of compassion and clinical excellence in service to their patients; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, That Mount Regis Center hereby be commended on the occasion of its 75th anniversary; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Mount Regis Center as an expression of the House of Delegates' admiration for the organization's history and its contributions to the Commonwealth.