HOPKINTON – In an effort to expand access to substance use disorder treatment in Washington County, CODAC Behavioral Healthcare has opened its second mobile medical van offering medication for opioid use disorder.
Launched on Aug. 17, the mobile medical unit is stationed in parking lot at Wood River Health at 823 Main St. The unit provides methadone and buprenorphine to patients from 6:30 to 10 a.m. Monday through Friday, Thomas Joyce, CODAC vice president of external affairs, told Providence Business News.
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The van is staffed by a peer recovery specialist and a nurse who mixes and dispenses the medications for each patient, with a doctor visiting the site two to three times per week. In addition to medication for opioid use disorder, the unit offers counseling and general health services, such as blood pressure checks, glucose readings and mental health screenings, according to an Aug. 25 announcement from CODAC and Wood River.
“We believe care should be accessible, respectful and rooted in the community,” Wood River CEO and President Alison Croke said in a statement. “This mobile medical unit allows us to reach individuals who might otherwise go without treatment and to support recovery in a way that is immediate, compassionate and responsive to real needs.”
CODAC, which operates a mobile medical van traveling daily to Woonsocket, had been trying to add a Wood River-bound van for some time, Joyce said. The health center’s location provides an opportunity to treat patients who may otherwise not receive care due to transportation barriers.
CODAC also operates a small sprinter van, capable of providing medication during inclement weather when it’s unsafe to transport the large vans, which are made from repurposed mobile homes.
“This partnership reflects our shared commitment to ensuring that everyone has access to the care they need, when and where they need it,” Linda Hurley, CODAC’s CEO and president, said in the announcement. “Expanding services through a mobile unit allows us to reach more individuals and remove barriers that too often stand in the way of recovery.”
Established in 1971, CODAC offers seven community-based locations providing opioid use disorder treatment, including in Cranston, Providence, Warwick and Newport, according to the nonprofit’s website.
Mica Kanner-Mascolo is a PBN staff writer. She can be reached at kannermascolo@pbn.com.
