History

The Farley Center Beginning.....

In 1985, the Virginia Impaired Professionals Program (VIPP) was created. Joni Pazera, a counselor working for Peninsula Hospital, now known as Riverside Peninsula Behavioral Health, visited Talbott Recovery Center in Atlanta, Georgia and returned inspired to begin “a professional’s program for healthcare professionals with a Substance Use Disorder.” “We didn’t even have charts” exclaims Joni Pazera (who currently still works as a Family Educator with the Farley Center at Williamsburg Place) who, along with Jackie Jeffries, Mae McAllister and David Flaharty, M.D. founded VIPP. On a shoestring and inspiration, what was the VIPP would become Perspectives, then The William J. Farley Institute for Recovery and today the Farley Center at Williamsburg Place.

Williamsburg Place beginning...

“We needed to do this…” George White, President of Diamond Healthcare Corporation, often remarks as he remembers the beginnings of Williamsburg Place. Inspired by the courage of those in recovery, Mr. White envisioned a facility in his hometown of Williamsburg, Virginia that would provide high quality, dignified treatment to people with addiction to alcohol and drugs. Due to the given pressures of the early days of managed care and the climate of behavioral health in general, 1991 was not a good year to begin such an endeavor. While it was a slow start for the traditional 30 day treatment program. It's sustained growth has now proven to be a local, regional and nationally recognized addiction treatment program.