A leading Alabama-based behavioral health provider offering treatment for substance use disorders and mental health conditions has cleared one of Alabama health care’s biggest regulatory hurdles, winning Certificate of Need (CON) approval to develop and operate Longleaf Lodge, a new 60-bed residential substance use treatment center in Shelby County.
Longleaf Recovery & Wellness’ approval from the Alabama State Health Planning and Development Agency (SHPDA) authorizes 10 medically monitored detoxification beds and 50 residential treatment beds, with the campus projected to open in early 2027.
Longleaf says the project will be the first CON-approved residential substance use treatment facility in Shelby County and will meet documented demand for high-intensity inpatient services in the region.
In a video message recorded on the future site of the campus on Wednesday, Longleaf CEO Colin Harris called the state’s decision “a major step forward for treatment in Alabama.”
He said the project is designed to give patients the ability to step away from the noise of everyday life and fully focus on recovery.
“Longleaf lodge will be set within a quiet, wooded landscape that creates separation from everyday distractions and allows individuals to fully focus on recovery,” Harris said.
“We believe the physical environment plays a critical role in healing, and this land gives us the opportunity to build something that feels grounded, safe and restorative. Longleaf lodge will provide a full residential continuum of care, including medically supported detox and structured residential treatment. Care will be delivered through a highly intentional clinical model where every element is designed to meet people where they are and support meaningful long term recovery.
Our name comes from the longleaf pine, a tree known for its ability to regenerate and grow stronger after fire, that symbolism is central to our philosophy. We see recovery as a process of rebuilding strength, identity and purpose. Construction is set to begin shortly, and we are planning to open longleaf lodge in 2027 this is a defining moment for our organization and for the communities we serve. We look forward to sharing the journey as we build the future of recovery in Alabama.”
The will be built on a 150-acre rural property in Shelby County, intentionally designed for a calm, structured, and therapeutic environment while remaining accessible to the Birmingham metro area.
Plans call for multiple residential cabins, dedicated medical and clinical space, and campus areas for dining, fitness, and group programming — with an emphasis on safety, privacy, and clinical integrity.
The facility will treat adults with substance use disorders and co-occurring mental health conditions, pairing medically supervised detox with residential programming grounded in evidence-based practices. Longleaf says treatment will integrate medical oversight, individual and group therapy, family involvement, and structured daily routines designed to support stabilization and long-term recovery.
The win is a major one because Alabama’s CON program requires many health care providers to secure state approval before offering or expanding certain services — a process that can be lengthy, technical, and often contested.
Longleaf’s expansion into residential care has been closely watched in the Birmingham region because it builds on a broader, Alabama-based continuum of treatment that already includes operations in the metro area and beyond.
Longleaf’s flagship Birmingham Recovery Center is located in Hoover, and the organization has grown to serve communities across the state, including North Alabama and the Gulf Coast.
Yellowhammer News previously reported on the high-profile pushback Longleaf faced as it sought permission to bring new residential capacity online in Shelby County, a county that Longleaf and state planning discussions have pointed to as lacking local residential addiction treatment options.
In 2025, Bradford Health Services filed opposition and later escalated its challenge through Alabama’s CON procedures, a move that diverted the application into a contested case before an administrative law judge and delayed the project’s consideration by the CON Review Board.
Now, with CON approval secured, Longleaf says development planning will proceed immediately.
Grayson Everett is the editor in chief of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @Grayson270.
