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The Oct. 1 story, "Wheaton needs help curbing public drunkenness," put the spotlight on a problem that many people in Montgomery County may not realize exists: public intoxication. It's a problem that we at Washington Adventist Hospital see all too frequently.

However, the story gave the impression that publically inebriated people are no longer taken to our emergency room for treatment. That is not the case. Unfortunately, we still provide compassionate care to too many individuals with this problem.

What has happened is that through our partnership with the county's Public Inebriate Initiative Team, we have been able to reduce the length of stay for intoxicated individuals in our hospital. For the past year and a half, the team has been an asset to the citizens of the Takoma Park/Silver Spring communities and this hospital in several ways.

The team has helped the emergency department staff by responding in a timely and efficient manner to assess and transport the clients to the detoxification facility at Avery Road Treatment Center. This frees up beds for other members of our community who need medical assistance.

This partnership is why we are interested in working with the county on a sobering center to be located on our future Health and Well-being campus in Takoma Park, once we relocate our hospital to the White Oak/Calverton area in 2013.

This program is an invaluable asset to underprivileged clients in the community who otherwise would not receive treatment for their addiction issues. It is my hope that the program continues to progress and expand and help more in the communities we serve.

Jere D. Stocks, Takoma Park

The writer is president of Washington Adventist Hospital.