A Sept. 15 piece in The New York Times detailed how opportunists in Malibu, California, are scrambling to purchase properties and convert them into alcohol and drug treatment centers.

Neighbors challenging a proposal to open a residential alcohol and related drug treatment facility at the Fox Hill Estate on Bay View Street in Camden have distributed printed copies of the Times article in what seems to be an effort to align the proposed treatment center at Fox Hill with those in Malibu. Even the casual reader will quickly recognize that the proposed Camden program and the Malibu treatment facilities have only one thing in common: the view.

The proposed 12-bed residential rehabilitation residence at Fox Hill will be fully licensed by State of Maine regulatory agencies and operated by McLean Hospital, the largest psychiatric teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School. Renowned since the early 1800s as a leader in the treatment of chemical dependency and mental illness, McLean has as much in common with the aforementioned Malibu facilities as a symphony orchestra has with a garage band.

The treatment center at Fox Hill would not be marketed to celebrities looking to clean up their images, nor would it seek their endorsements. There would be no signage, no paparazzi, nor any disclosure of residents’ identities. In fact, clients are not accepted at McLean if they publicly disclose they are going to treatment.

What McLean will build at Fox Hill is a private, well-managed, high-quality program that provides world-class care — a program that will be viewed with pride by the local community. The benefits of McLean at Fox Hill aren’t limited to the services provided to its clients. With its presence in Camden, McLean will be in a position to help address local needs by partnering with schools, hospitals and mental health organizations. The area will also gain opportunities for residents to secure good, stable jobs and as much as a $6.6 million increase in economic activity.

Philip G. Levendusky, Ph.D.

Sr. Vice President, Business Development

Director, Psychology Department

Co-Director, Psychology Training

McLean Hospital

Associate Professor

Harvard Medical School