MARION � A new clinic in Marion is helping fight the opioid epidemic.
Within the next month, Centerstone will open a first-of-its-kind clinic offering Methadone in southern Illinois.
Centerstone Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) will use counseling and medication to help people fight opioid addictions.
The services will be offered inside a new building at Centerstone’s campus located at 1200 Main Street
Centerstone’s Medical Services Director Angela Manns says many people in our area travel to other locations for these services.
Manns said that’s why this clinic was a must for southern Illinois.
"We have people that drive up to Alton all the time to get their Methadone and drive to other states," Manns said.
The MAT clinic will be the first in Illinois south of Interstate 64 offering Methadone.
Rural Health, Inc., based out of Anna, also has a MAT clinic but does not offer Methadone.
The health company has five sites throughout Union, Johnson and Massac Counties offering counseling and medications, like Vivitrol and Suboxone, to help people overcome their addictions.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 130 people die everyday from overdosing on opioids.
Manns said the services at the clinic will not only help those fighting addiction, but their family and friends too.
"It’s a place where people can come and get full treatment with counseling and medication to sustain recovery," Manns said. "It’s going to be ever-changing for the community."
Once inside the new building, there are two areas that health officials say go hand-in-hand for patients.
One of the first areas patients see is where they check in for counseling and then right across the room is an area where trained medical staff will distribute medication for people suffering form substance use disorders.
Chief Executive Officer for Centerstone John Markley said this clinic will offer medications like Methadone to help overcome someone’s addiction to opioids.
Before this clinic, patients could only find this type of service in the Metro East, Chicago or even out of state.
"Very unusual for a community to have access to these services locally because it doesn’t happened much across the country," Markley said.
There will be two times a day when patients can receive their medication inside of the building, in the morning and during lunch time.
Centerstone says the building should be open and operating within the next month.
Those living near the new center are still not welcoming it with open arms.
News 3 first told you about the in October and we spoke with neighbors Bryce and Monica Ashcraft.
Since the clinic has been built, the neighbors have installed a six-foot privacy fence.
The Ashcrafts told News 3, Centerstone reimbursed them for the cost, but they admit they are still not thrilled to have an opioid treatment facility as their neighbors.
