The $1 million renovation \u2014 funded entirely through Pennsylvania\u2019s opioid settlement allocation<\/a> administered by the state Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs \u2014 overhauled the building\u2019s living spaces, improved safety systems and added full elevator accessibility. No taxpayer dollars were used for the construction.<\/p>\n \u201cWe could have lost 50 beds,\u201d said Lehigh County Executive Josh Siegel. \u201cThis facility represents hope and healing for the damage that those opioid companies have wrought on our communities, and that\u2019s incredible.\u201d<\/p>\n Siegel credited District Attorney Gavin Holihan, the county Board of Commissioners and the previous administration for identifying the funding opportunity. The grant, Holihan explained, was originally secured by his predecessor and had five months left before it would have lapsed when he took office.<\/p>\n \u201cI thought to myself, who do I know who could help me spend a million dollars in a short period of time?\u201d Holihan said, crediting Joe Martellucci, administrator of Lehigh County Drug and Alcohol, with realizing the funds could be redirected toward the facility\u2019s renovation.<\/p>\n \u201cStrong communities require both accountability and opportunity,\u201d Holihan said. \u201cExpanding high-quality residential treatment, especially for individuals reentering our community from incarceration, improves long-term recovery outcomes and strengthens public safety for everyone in Lehigh County.\u201d<\/p>\n Construction wrapped in fall 2025. The program quietly resumed operations in December and is currently serving 10 residents, with the facility expected to reach its full capacity of 50 as staffing and census levels stabilize, according to Lehigh County Drug and Alcohol Services. The facility is co-ed, serving both men and women.<\/p>\n Chelsea Edmunds, director of the Allentown Residential program, called the reopening a \u201crebirth\u201d for a facility that has served the community for more than five decades.<\/p>\n \u201cSince May 1st, 2024, we faced the difficult decision to suspend admissions,\u201d Edmunds said. \u201cWe were at a crossroads. But in our darkest moment, we experienced something extraordinary \u2014 a second chance.\u201d<\/p>\n Edmunds said the program has also adapted to a changed funding landscape. Where residents once could stay up to 90 days, managed care organizations now typically authorize stays of 15 to 30 days. \u201cWe simply can\u2019t get that kind of funding anymore,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n John Dillensnyder, executive director of Treatment Trends, said the facility\u2019s location matters as much as its services.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen people receive treatment close to home, connected to family and community, their chances of sustained recovery increase dramatically,\u201d Dillensnyder said. \u201cBy reopening this building in Allentown, we are restoring hope, structure and opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n That sentiment was echoed by the county official whose office helped make the renovation possible.<\/p>\n Joe Martellucci said the collaboration between his office, the district attorney, county commissioners and state officials made the project possible.<\/p>\n \u201cWe were facing permanent loss of treatment beds,\u201d Martellucci said. \u201cOur office, the District Attorney, County leadership, and DDAP all came together to restore and strengthen high-quality treatment for people and families in Lehigh County.\u201d<\/p>\n Pennsylvania state Sen. Nick Miller also spoke at Friday\u2019s event, presenting a proclamation to Dillensnyder recognizing the organization\u2019s work and the fortitude of its staff through the closure period.<\/p>\n With its reopening, Treatment Trends has launched a specialized treatment track for individuals returning from incarceration. The program integrates family engagement and community reintegration planning to reduce the risk of relapse and support long-term stability.<\/p>\n The Allentown reopening is part of a broader expansion of Treatment Trends\u2019 footprint in the region. The organization also opened a new outpatient center in Slatington last November<\/a> \u2014 the first dedicated treatment facility in that borough \u2014 also funded through Lehigh County\u2019s opioid settlement allocation.<\/p>\n Lehigh County expects to receive approximately $18 million in opioid settlement funds through 2038. Siegel said the county plans to continue investing that money in treatment and recovery programs.<\/p>\n Overdose deaths in Lehigh County have trended downward in recent years as investments in prevention, treatment and recovery support have grown, according to Lehigh County Drug and Alcohol Services.<\/p>\n Tours of the newly renovated facility followed Friday\u2019s ribbon-cutting ceremony.<\/p>\n \n This is the part where we ask.\n <\/p>\n \n No billionaire owner. No paywall. Just you keeping local news free.\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n $5 keeps us going \n 100% funds local journalism.\n <\/p>\n![\"ribbon](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/IMG_4142-1600x1200.jpeg\")
An unoccupied resident room at the newly renovated Treatment Trends Allentown Residential facility. The $1 million renovation modernized living spaces and added full elevator accessibility to the building, which had been closed since 2024. (Jai Smith \/ Lehigh Daily)<\/p>\n![\"ribbon](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/IMG_3979-1600x1200.jpeg\")
Chelsea Edmunds, director of the Allentown Residential program, speaks Friday during the grand reopening ceremony at 18 S. 6th St. in Allentown. Edmunds called the reopening \u201ca rebirth\u201d for a facility that has served the community since 1972. (Jai Smith \/ Lehigh Daily)<\/p>\n
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