CleanSlate Center Opens in Bloomington to Combat Heroin Public Health Crisis

BLOOMINGTON, IN--(Marketwired - January 03, 2018) - CleanSlate Centers, a national leader in outpatient medication-assisted treatment for opioid and alcohol addiction, today announced the opening of a new center in Bloomington, Indiana to fight opioid addiction and death from overdose. The new office-based center, located at 502 W. 2^nd St. Suite A in Bloomington, began seeing patients last week.

Indiana is one of four states that have seen fatal drug overdoses quadruple since 1999. Today, Hoosiers are more likely to die of an overdose from prescription and illegal drugs than a car accident. There are not enough addiction treatment facilities or doctors in the state to meet the rising need, and patients often get placed on a waiting list while seeking treatment.¹ Rising heroin and prescription opioid use is driving a public health crisis in Bloomington. As heroin use has dramatically increased, so have cases of hepatitis C and concern over a potential increase in HIV transmission.²

"Helping individuals struggling with opioid addiction, especially heroin, is essential to reducing the incidence of hepatitis C and other deadly infectious diseases," said Gregory Marotta, President and CEO of CleanSlate Centers. "CleanSlate is dedicated to helping save lives in hard hit areas such as Bloomington by expanding access to proven medication-assisted treatment."

CleanSlate is making a big difference in the battle against the epidemic of addiction, treating 26,000 patients and counting, saving one valued life at a time. CleanSlate works with most insurance providers, including Medicaid, in order to expand access to effective treatment to all those who need it. Patient data shows that IV drug users who obtain treatment at CleanSlate are 80 percent less likely to contract hepatitis C than individuals who do not engage in treatment.

"The opioid epidemic requires that we all work together to overcome the deadly cycle of addiction; that includes community leaders, public health officials and the medical community," said Nasser Hajaig, M.D., Western Division Medical Director for CleanSlate. "Because not everyone is the same or has the same needs, we work with our patients to provide outpatient medication-assisted treatment, using a compassionate approach that is designed for their circumstances and to help them succeed."

Now with seven centers across Indiana, CleanSlate's program of care -- which includes appropriate medication-assisted treatment prescribed by trained medical providers, with clear accountability and supportive counseling -- sets the group apart from other treatment models. For information about the Bloomington center, please call 812-668-1946 or visit http://www.cleanslatecenters.com. To schedule an appointment at the Bloomington center, please call 833-505-HOPE.

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 operates a growing network of physician-led, office-based addiction treatment centers, where patients who suffer from opioid or alcohol addiction can receive medication-assisted treatment and related therapies using the highest quality, evidence-based practices. CleanSlate currently has a national footprint of 38 centers in eight states, with more centers opening every month to meet the demand for the company's services. For more information, please visit CleanSlateCenters.com.

¹ http://fox59.com/2017/08/08/actual-opioid-deaths-much-higher-in-indiana-than-first-thought-report-says/. Accessed 12.14.17.

² Streetman, Jonathan. Bloomington Herald-Times. http://www.indianaeconomicdigest.net/main.asp?SectionID=31&SubSectionID=91&ArticleID=88703. Accessed 12.14.17.