By ROBIN SHANNON

L’Observateur

VACHERIE – West bank residents in St. James Parish will soon have closer access to affordable health care with the re-opening of the parish health unit in Vacherie this week.

The facility, situated just blocks from the St. James Courthouse Annex on Louisiana Highway 20, has been closed for more than two years for renovations and repairs after it was severely damaged when Hurricane Gustav blew through the area in 2008.

“After the hurricane, the building had to be treated for water damage as well as mold and mildew,” said St. James Parish spokesperson Melissa Wilkins. “We also had to repair exterior portions of the building including the roof, which was completely torn off during Gustav.”

Wilkins said the interior of the 9,000-square-foot building was stripped down to the studs so mold and mildew could be eradicated. The facility also received new floors, cabinets, fixtures and furniture, as well as additional office space.

Wilkins said Gen-Con Inc. of Vacherie was the main contractor on the project but several other contractors and some parish employees worked on the building, which took about two years to complete. The facility was originally constructed in 1971.

While construction on the facility was taking place, all staff members and services were temporarily transferred to the former St. James Hospital facility in Lutcher.

Wilkins said the facility includes 12 staff members, including four nurses and a nutritionist who are all employed by the state through the Department of Health and Hospitals.

Wilkins said the improvements and repairs, which were all covered through parish insurance and relief money from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, also includes new medical equipment and an upgraded computer system. She said the repair project also allowed the parish the opportunity to make the building more compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

“We had to add some ramps and new railings to make it ADA compliant,” Wilkins said. “We also widened some fixtures to make it easier for wheelchair access.”

Wilkins said FEMA covered the $7,000 deductible on the damages while insurance took care of the remaining balance. She said the facility, which serves about 300 residents in an average week, provides basic healthcare to the general public.

Word of the reopening was music to the ears of Vacherie resident Imelda Brown, who has had to make the lengthy trek to Lutcher for regular use of the health unit.

“I am glad to hear it is coming back finally,” said Brown, who moved to the region from New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. “It is hard to get across that bridge some days. I’m happy that people with health concerns have a place on this side of the river again.”

Wilkins said the parish will hold a dedication to mark the reopening of the health unit prior to the parish’s next council meeting on July 15.

The dedication will begin at 4 p.m. in the front of the building, located at 29170 Health Unit St., off Louisiana Highway 20.