Lafayette hoping new methadone clinic can help address the opioid crisis

The clinic opened in June in the old Harrison College site near Meijer on the city's east side. It's part of Indiana's effort to provide more treatment providers throughout the state. 

Limestone Health, an affiliate of Lafayette-based Sycamore Springs, operates the clinic. The clinic can serve up to 500 people a day, although Limestone President Matt Flynn said he doesn't expect the clinic to handle that many patients on a regular basis. 

More than 40 people have already enrolled in Lafayette's clinic, said Terry Cook, the assistant director of the Division of Mental Health and Addiction at Indiana Family and Social Services Administration.

People can be referred to the clinic by medical professionals, but people also can walk in, Flynn said. But he said every patient will go through individual medical evaluations to determine whether this clinic is appropriate. 

The state requires the clinic to provide mandatory counseling of at least four hours a month for those just entering treatment. The clinic also is required to conduct random drug tests and have security measures for its drug supply.