Paoli nurse fights city over planned drug recovery center

PAOLI, Ind. (WDRB) -- Overwhelmed by overdoses, Britany Stout, a nurse practitioner in Paoli, said she is sick of the drug epidemic. But her big idea for a fix has run into some complications.

Stout, 29, founded the Safe Haven Recovery Engagement Center, a one-stop recovery center offering help with housing, food, transportation and job placement.

"If you come here, you are going to be surrounded by sober people in recovery," she said.

Stout lined up volunteers, community partners and secured a home to to run the nonprofit rent-free.

"A lot of times, you come back to your home community from either getting out of a treatment center or jail, and you don't know where to start," she said. "It hits these small rural towns, and we don't have nearly the resources the big cities have.

"So we have got to stand up for our own community, our own people, and help."

But as Safe Haven was nearly ready to open, a setback came from Paoli's zoning board. The property is zoned residential, and even though it was last used as a doctor's office for people without insurance, to reopen now as a recovery house requires a special variance.

"I just don't think it's the type of people we need in our neighborhood," said Norma Jean Spear, 88, who has lived nearby for 63 years. "I think we need it, but it seems to me like somewhere possibly around the hospital."

After a four-hour meeting and a 3-2 vote, zoning rejected the variance.

"It's safety, traffic, everything," zoning board president Craig Starr said. "I am not against a drug recovery center ... There are plenty of vacant properties where this would be more appropriate in Paoli."

The board denying the special permission for Safe Haven to open was "heartbreaking" news to Josh Mink, who said he's just 23 days sober.

"I've struggled with addiction 12 years and been in and out of jails and rehab," Mink said. "The recovery center they planned to put in Paoli could have given some of us early on in our recovery a lot better chance."

Stout isn't giving up the fight, planning now to sue the city and appeal in circuit court. For her, Safe Haven is personal. Her brother, Dakota Stout, died of an overdose after he took heroin that was laced with fentanyl. It killed him instantly at the age of 25.

"Every person we can get into recovery and help is helping Dakota," Stout said.

Stout has gathered nearly 1,000 signatures petitioning the zoning board to reconsider the variance request. To sign it, click here.