Kentucky is #1 in Lawsuits Against Opioid Companies but Lags in Treatment Options. CleanSlate is Changing That Shortage in Owensboro.

Aug 6, 2019

Despite the fact that Kentucky has the fifth highest drug overdose death rate in the U.S., treatment options are scarce, even in the state’s more urban areas. Owensboro may be the fourth largest city in Kentucky, but its residents who suffer from addiction have few places to turn for treatment.

CleanSlate is addressing this shortage with a new outpatient center for medication-assisted treatment (MAT). This marks CleanSlate’s third center in Kentucky, joining others in Louisville, S. Louisville, and Lexington. Located at 3500 Villa Pointe Road, Suite 110, the Owensboro center opens its doors to patients today.

“Owensboro residents who suffer from addiction need access to affordable, high-quality treatment, and we’re eager to oblige,” said Anthony Belott, Chief Development Officer of CleanSlate. “People here are trying desperately to figure out treatment options; the nearest MAT clinic is a 40-minute drive away. Community leaders have been gracious in welcoming CleanSlate to Owensboro, and we look forward to fighting this battle together.”

Patients in Owensboro will be able to receive treatment without incurring significant – or any – financial burden. Driven by a mission to increase access to affordable, evidence-based addiction treatment, CleanSlate participates in-network with most Medicaid and commercial providers in the state of Kentucky.

Related blog: “Now I Can Buy Groceries!” What Insurance Coverage Vs. Cash For Addiction Treatment Means To Patients

Kentucky leads the nation in lawsuits against opioid companies

At least four Kentuckians die every day from opioid overdose. Andy Beshear, Kentucky’s Attorney General, has called the opioid crisis the “number one threat to the state” and has been dogged in his fight against opioid addiction. 

“I don’t have to tell you all that’s somebody’s son, that’s somebody’s parent, that’s somebody who is loved and who we will never see again,” Beshear said to the Heroin Impact Response Task Force in Erlanger.

Beshear recently defeated his eighth straight motion to dismiss by an opioid manufacturer or distributor in Kentucky’s court system. With the nine lawsuits brought by Beshear, Kentucky leads the nation in the number of individual opioid lawsuits filed by an attorney general.

“These opioid companies must stand before Kentuckians and be held accountable for what they have done to our families, friends and neighbors,” Beshear said. “Our litigation team has defeated every one of these attempts to shirk responsibility and these corporations will ultimately have to pay to help our communities recover from this opioid epidemic.”

Lawsuits against manufacturers and distributors are an important measure of justice, but settlements alone won’t solve the devastation of opioid addiction.

“So many Kentucky families have been destroyed by the opioid epidemic,” said Joan Erwin, Senior Vice President of Business Development for CleanSlate. “CleanSlate is in the business of saving lives and restoring hope. We are with patients every step of the way on their path to recovery.” 

Patients at other CleanSlate centers in Kentucky have been effusive in their gratitude for the company’s attentive care. “Thank you; you saved my granddaughter’s life,” a grandmother of one Louisville patient wrote to CleanSlate. “I’m in recovery myself, and let me tell you – we’ve been to other places and no one has ever met her with so much empathy. I can tell you really care.”

Related blog: “We’re In This Together;” Addiction Patients In Emerging Medication-Assisted Treatment Support Groups Discover A Community They Didn’t Think Existed

Expanding access to treatment in Kentucky

A pioneer and leader in outpatient addiction medicine, CleanSlate is a rapidly expanding national medical group that provides treatment for the chronic disease of addiction, primarily opioid and alcohol use disorders.

The company is actively growing its footprint to expand much-needed access to outpatient medication treatment for addiction. Over the past decade, the company has treated more than 41,000 patients, with more than 14,000 patients currently being treated each month in 11 states. 

Founded in 2009 in response to the country’s growing opioid epidemic, CleanSlate’s physician-led offices utilize medication treatment and related therapies to treat patients who suffer from addiction and associated disorders, adhering to the highest quality, evidence-based practices. The company’s program of care includes appropriate MAT prescribed by licensed medical providers, as well as clear accountability, supportive counseling, and care coordination. 

Learn more about CleanSlate at www.cleanslatecenters.com, and sign up for our newsletter to receive regular insights about addiction and the opioid epidemic. To schedule an appointment at any CleanSlate center, please visit https://www.cleanslatecenters.com to find the center nearest you. Most CleanSlate centers accept walk-ins.  

To make an appointment at CleanSlate’s Owensboro addiction treatment center, please call 270-228-2368.

For media inquiries, please contact Carol Fite-Lynn at cflynn@cleanslatecenters.com

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