July 12, 2018 – AxessPointe Community Health Centers, Inc. has added a new element to their list of services that they provide to the area, medication-assisted treatment for opioid addiction.
Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) uses prescription medications, in conjunction with counseling, to treat substance abuse disorders. AxessPointe began the service in June and currently only offers it at the Kent clinic on 143 Gougler Ave. They do plan to expand MAT to their Arlington clinic at 1400 S. Arlington St. in August.
“Our goal is to work together with our community partners to combat the opioid crisis,” states Chris Richardson, CEO of AxessPointe. “The only way this crisis is going to be overcome is if we come together to help and cure those who are battling addiction.”
AxessPointe is utilizing Vivitrol, which prevents a relapse to opioids once a person has completed detox. The medication is prescribed by AxessPointe and the counseling services are provided by Family & Community Services, Inc. Both the medication and the counseling are required pieces for MAT to be successful.
“What makes our MAT program unique is that our patients can receive their medication and counseling services within the same building,” says Dr. E. Demond Scott, AxessPointe’s Chief Medical Officer. “With our clinic and F&CS sharing the office, our patients have a warm handoff from the medication side to the counseling side, which makes the patients more comfortable and it’s more convenient for them.”
“MAT is a big part of recovery but staying sober depends on more than just medications. AxessPointe becomes a true partner in our client’s recovery,” expresses Marihelyn Horrigan, Nurse Care Manager at AxessPointe. “We help our clients to address their social determinants. We offer our clients access to dentistry, primary care providers and community health workers. Showing our clients we have faith in them allows them to see in the midst of difficulty, there is an opportunity for them to live their best lives.”
AxessPointe is now one of the four businesses that offer MAT in Portage County, including University Hospitals Portage Medical Center, Coleman Professional Services and Groups Recover Together.
AxessPointe Community Health Centers is a federally qualified health center (FQHC) serving more than 18,500 patients in 2017 throughout Summit and Portage counties. AxessPointe has five current sites in Northeast Ohio, including three in Akron, one in Kent and one in Barberton. An FQHC is a non-profit corporation that delivers primary medical, dental and preventive health services in medically underserved areas. AxessPointe also provides pharmacy, women’s health and behavioral health services. For more information visit axesspointe.org.
