CleanSlate Expands Unique Physician-led Effort to Fight the Opioid Epidemic in Massachusetts
Officials with CleanSlate Centers, a leader in providing care to those suffering from opioid and alcohol addiction, announced today the company continues to expand local access to safe, effective, physician-led treatment with a new outpatient center in Lawrence. This site, which opens its doors April 10, will be located at 360 Merrimack Street.
Founded in 2009 in response to the growing opioid epidemic facing the country, CleanSlate has treated more than 14,000 patients in some of the hardest hit states by the opioid epidemic, including Massachusetts, Indiana and Pennsylvania. An additional center is scheduled to open in Lynn in the coming months, joining a total of 14 CleanSlate centers across Massachusetts in the ongoing fight against addiction.
An additional center is scheduled to open in Lynn in the coming months, joining a total of 14 CleanSlate centers across Massachusetts in the ongoing fight against addiction.
“This is a life-threatening disease impacting more and more people and families in Massachusetts. The need for a better approach to managing this disease and increasing access is the reason CleanSlate was founded, and we are pleased to now be able to offer hope for more people in Massachusetts,” said Greg Marotta, President and CEO of CleanSlate Centers.
“It’s impossible to fight this disease alone, and we are pleased to have important partners at our side in Massachusetts. We look forward to deepening our relationships in Lawrence and throughout Massachusetts as we all work together to beat back this undiscriminating epidemic.”
Drug overdose deaths from opioids remain on the rise in Massachusetts according to the Health and Human Services Division of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. In 2015, the rate of unintended overdoses from opioids was 24.6 deaths per 100,000 residents, which represents a 23 percent increase from the 2014 rate.
According to the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) – the nation’s leading addiction medicine society representing 4,000 physicians, clinicians and other professionals – opioid addiction is defined as a primary, chronic and relapsing brain disease.
“At CleanSlate, we know that opioid addiction is best treated as the chronic disease it is,” said Kelly J. Clark, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of CleanSlate and President-elect of ASAM. “We currently treat thousands of patients for opioid and alcohol addiction in a comfortable outpatient environment with a full-time, dedicated team of physicians and advanced-practice clinicians. Our ultimate goal is to help these patients achieve the life they want and deserve – a ‘clean slate’ from which to thrive.”
The award-winning CleanSlate program of care includes individualized treatment plans for each patient consisting of appropriate medication treatment prescribed by physicians, clear accountability and supportive counseling. In Pennsylvania, the company’s centers have been designated as Centers for Excellence by the state’s governor, based on clinicians’ abilities to work with behavioral health, primary care and other partners to provide integrated whole-person, evidence-based treatment.
“I am proud to work with CleanSlate in our new Lawrence location,” said Ellen Alexander, Regional VP of Operations. “CleanSlate is saving lives in every community where we have centers, and we welcome anyone in Lawrence who needs our support and services.”
For more information or to schedule an appointment in Lawrence, please call 413-341-1787. For more information about CleanSlate Centers, please visit http://www.cleanslatecenters.com.
About CleanSlate Centers
A pioneer and leader in outpatient addiction medicine, CleanSlate Centers is a national medical group which provides treatment for the chronic disease of addiction, primarily opioid and alcohol use disorders. Founded in 2009 in response to the growing opioid epidemic facing the country, the company is a growing, multi-state network of physician-led outpatient addiction treatment centers where patients who have addiction and associated disorders can receive medication-assisted treatment and related therapies using the highest quality, evidence-based practices.
Using the latest science- and medicine-based treatment guidelines, CleanSlate is bringing effective outpatient treatment to tens of thousands of new patients across the country. The company has provided treatment to more than more than 14,000 patients.
In 2014, CleanSlate partnered with Apple Tree Partners, a growth equity fund, to help expand efforts geographically and increase access to care in underserved communities with demonstrated need.
