MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – In the past, Monongalia EMS has been unable to transport patients to Hope Hill Sobering Center to treat intoxicated adults. Now, the state’s Medical Policy Care Committee is allowing Mon EMS to do so through a two-year test program.

The program is the first of its kind in the state and will allow Mon EMS to transfer patients to get the proper care.

“The problem was that EMS was not allowed to bring them there because they could only take them to the emergency room,” Monongalia County Commission President Tom Bloom said. “Now, we have a pilot project for two years, where if they go through the process they can see that they could benefit from going to Hope Hill Sobering Center.”

Hope Hill Sobering Center is located on the first floor of Hazel’s House of Hope, which can be found on Scott Avenue in Morgantown. It also serves as an alternative to some worse places to be admitted for being intoxicated.

“It’s a safe place and now the EMS is willing to take them there and drop them off and they can get help and not go to North Central Regional Jail,” Bloom said. “This is something that’s been in the works for 50 years and I really appreciate the State Emergency Services Board allowing us to do this pilot project.”

Bloom said that the center is a drastic change from what was experienced when he was younger.