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There’s a lot more than a new parking lot going in across from the Main Street post office.

Piedmont Access to Health Services — PATHS — is expanding its Danville offices with a $2.4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The grant is one of 25 given nationwide, says PATHS CEO Kay Crane.

“They really look at this area and understand how it’s medically underserved,” she said.

The 9,000-square-foot, two-story expansion will broaden PATHS’ pediatric services, enlarge the pharmacy, create a conference room for training with capacity to seat 100 people, and upgrade the office’s computer systems. Construction is estimated to be completed by December.

Despite expanding through the south side of the building and eliminating the pharmacy’s drive-through window, Crane says PATHS will not lose any parking space.

“We’ll actually have a little bit more,” she said.

PATHS added pediatric services in Danville in 2013, hiring Dr. Drew Baker and Dr. Robert Broughton. This year, PATHS plans to add a pediatric nurse practitioner and more front office staff. The new construction will create sick and well kids’ waiting rooms, separate from adult patients.

The organization is seeking funding to add pediatric behavioral health services, with plans to contract a pediatric psychiatrist and hire a pediatric psychologist, licensed clinical social worker, and registered nurse. Of the approximately 3,000 children PATH serves at its Danville, Chatham, Martinsville and Boydton locations, nearly 850 have been diagnosed with attention deficit disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism or anxiety.

Chief Operating Officer Billy Crumpton said PATHS is seeing an increase of patients with these disorders, consistent with trends seen throughout the country, but has not been able to help them beyond basic pediatric care.

“The challenge that we face is there are limitations to what you can do in primary care,” he said, noting pediatricians are not trained outside of medical school to address psychiatric issues. Furthermore, he said, the area has limited resources and long waiting lists for pediatric behavioral care. Many parents seek help in Lynchburg or the North Carolina metro areas of Greensboro and Raleigh, he said. In addition, Crumpton said, evaluation and testing for these disorders is only offered in public schools, so private school parents have to seek help elsewhere.

“We want to have one comprehensive, one-stop shop for them to get what they need,” he said.

Crane says additional local help could help teachers struggling to maintain order in the classroom.

“One of the things that impacts the school system is a child who has ADD, ADHD or autism, untreated,” she said, citing class time lost to behavioral issues. “Everyone has a stake in seeing these children treated appropriately.”

 

(Posted: February 2, 2014 at www.godanriver.com / Story by: Mary Beth Jackson)