Pubdate: Mon, 06 May 2002
Source: Johnson City Press (TN)
Copyright: 2002 Johnson City Press and Associated Press
Contact:  http://www.johnsoncitypress.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1983
Author: Gregg Powers
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?136 (Methadone)

METHADONE CLINIC ISSUE TO BE TOPIC OF MEETING

NASHVILLE - The Tennessee Health Facilities Commission is scheduled 
to consider a certificate of need application for a proposed 
methadone clinic to be located in Johnson City at its meeting here on 
June 26.

"At that time, the commission will approve, deny or defer the matter 
for up to 70 days if they feel more information is needed," HFC 
Executive Director Melanie Hill said Friday.

Johnson City Addiction and Treatment Center LLC, has filed a 
certificate of need application to establish a non-residential 
treatment facility, which would offer drug and alcohol addiction 
treatment services, at 200 W. Fairview Ave.

Methadone is synthetically manufactured and used as a substitute for 
the treatment of people dependent on heroin and other opiates.

Johnson City Public Safety Director Charles Harmon said in February 
that city commissioners have made two major objections to previous 
attempts at bringing such clinics to Johnson City.

The first objection, Harmon said, is over the philosophical questions 
regarding treatments offered by methadone clinics.

"At one time, there were even doctors from Watauga Mental Health 
Center that came in (to a City Commission meeting) to argue against 
using drugs to treat drug addiction," Harmon said.

The second major objection, the director said, is to the people 
attracted to cities with these clinics. Harmon said laws require 
methadone clinics to be at least 100 miles apart, so the area could 
begin attracting addicts from numerous areas.

"Some of (these addicts) may become involved in local crime," he said.

Rusty Titsworth, director of operations for The Middle Tennessee 
Treatment Center and the Memphis Center for Research and Addiction 
Treatment, the group that would run the clinic, said the group works 
closely with Vanderbilt University and the University of Tennessee at 
Memphis.

"We are working on developing similar affiliations and associations 
in Johnson City," Titsworth said in February.
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