CleanSlate’s New Medication-Assisted Treatment Center in Altoona, Pennsylvania Underscores Commitment to Address Statewide Disaster
Nov 20
Altoona, PA – CleanSlate Centers, a national leader in outpatient addiction medicine, has responded to the urgent need for more medication-assisted treatment (MAT) services in Pennsylvania by expanding into Altoona, the eleventh most populous city in the state. The company’s newest outpatient MAT center for opioid and alcohol addictions, which joins six other CleanSlate centers in Pennsylvania, is located at 501 Howard Street, Suite #A202, and opens its doors to patients on Thursday, November 29th.
Over the last decade, Pennsylvania has experienced more overdose deaths than almost any other state in the country, claiming 38 lives for every 100,000 residents. The opioid epidemic has touched every part of Pennsylvania, leading Gov. Tom Wolf to declare – earlier this year – the first-ever Statewide Disaster Declaration for a public health crisis in Pennsylvania.
(Pictured: CleanSlate’s new center is located across from UPMC Altoona.)
Read our blog: Pennsylvania’s Newly Declared Disaster Emergency Raises Hopes in Hard-Hit Philadelphia
As with other parts of the U.S., residents outside of large metropolitan areas face added obstacles in accessing convenient and affordable treatment, a challenge which CleanSlate is vigorously addressing in Pennsylvania and across the nation.
“Like the rest of Pennsylvania, Altoona has been devastated by the opioid crisis,” said Anthony Belott, Chief Development Officer for CleanSlate. “We’re working tirelessly to keep extending CleanSlate’s reach so that everyone who needs medication-assisted treatment can easily receive care. Our new Altoona center continues CleanSlate’s mission to quickly expand access to quality MAT services in communities of all shapes and sizes across the country.”
CleanSlate has treated more than 35,000 patients over the past decade, with 11,000 patients currently being treated across 51 centers nationwide. The company’s program of care includes appropriate medication-assisted treatment (MAT) prescribed by licensed medical providers, as well as clear accountability, supportive counseling and care coordination. CleanSlate is actively growing its footprint to expand much-needed access to outpatient medication treatment for addiction.
Formerly a railroad center, Altoona has grown into a thriving city of over 45,000 residents. The community benefits from being home to UPMC Altoona, a major hospital system with 20 affiliated healthcare companies that acts as a regional referral center and tertiary hub of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. CleanSlate’s new center is located directly across from UPMC Altoona, creating convenient access for patients who need services from either CleanSlate or UPMC.
“In addition to the opiate crisis, Altoona is affected by alcoholism and other substance use disorders,” said Dr. Jenna Stokes, Center Medical Director at CleanSlate Altoona. “We’ve spent months developing community introductions and partnerships here so that we can be a part of the solution to find the right place for all of our patients’ needs. This includes working with the Single County Authority (SCA) of Blair County so that CleanSlate can serve as a high-quality referral option for any patients seeking MAT services.”
(Pictured: Dr. Jenna Stokes, Center Medical Director at CleanSlate Altoona, also practices telemedicine so that patients in the Scranton area can have follow-up appointments without a long commute.)
Beyond its center in Altoona, CleanSlate’s presence in Pennsylvania includes two outpatient centers in Philadelphia, as well as centers in Scranton, Williamsport, Wilkes-Barre and Pittsburgh. As CleanSlate continues to add new centers across the state, the company is also providing telemedicine services to further address the shortage of MAT providers who can offer services close to where patients live. For example, Dr. Stokes is a resident of Altoona but has begun conducting telemedicine follow-up appointments with patients of CleanSlate’s Scranton center so that patients don’t have to drive far to receive care.
“Due to federal regulations on MAT services, CleanSlate providers have limits on the number of patients that we can treat,” said Todd Fausnaught, Area Medical Director for CleanSlate. “Telemedicine allows us to maintain strong connections with patients and make recovery more convenient and therefore more sustainable.”
Lisa Vollman is joining the Altoona center as a Center Manager, bringing to the new facility her extensive experience as a Center Manager at CleanSlate’s center in Williamsport, PA. “I’m thrilled to be opening the Altoona center and working with this community to fight the disease of addiction together,” she said.
(Pictured: Lisa Vollman, Center Manager for CleanSlate Altoona.)
Dr. Stokes is eager to bring CleanSlate’s individualized model of care to patients in Altoona. “My background is as a Primary Care physician and I would characterize CleanSlate’s philosophy as ‘primary care meets addiction medicine,’” she said. “The company’s whole-patient approach is excellent, and so many of our patients have a positive attitude about their recovery because they know that we are there for them in every way. Patients are treated with compassion, as human beings, and that makes all the difference as they rebuild their lives.”
To find out more details about CleanSlate’s center in Altoona, click here. To make an appointment, call 855-505-HOPE.
About CleanSlate
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. 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.
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 http://www.cleanslatecenters.com to find the center nearest you. All CleanSlate centers accept walk-ins.
For media inquiries, please contact Amy Brunson at abrunson@cleanslatecenters.com