HARRINGTON – A new withdrawal management clinic in Harrington, which is operated for the Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) by Connections Community Support Programs, Inc., will see its first clients Monday, Nov. 9.
Connections’ new clinic will join DHSS’ other withdrawal management clinic, NET Kirkwood Detoxification Center, located in New Castle County. Both clinics will match withdrawal services to an individual’s needs rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach. Both programs will have 16 beds for clinically managed and medically monitored detoxification; twelve 23-hour slots to allow for stabilization and observation of an individual who might not need a medically or clinically monitored withdrawal program; and ambulatory withdrawal management services, which can serve 30 to 100 individuals for 30 days in an intensive outpatient setting.
The cost of these additional services is estimated to be $1.7 million in the Fiscal Year 2016 budget.
Michael Barbieri, director of the Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health (DSAMH), which oversees public treatment and recovery services, said the Connections clinic is important to families impacted by addiction. “For the people of Kent and Sussex counties, the new withdrawal management clinic will bring critical services to the community,” he said. “Thanks to the $4.45 million in new funding approved by the General Assembly and the governor, we expect additional treatment and recovery services to be in place statewide in the coming months.”
In 2014, there were 185 suspected overdose deaths in the state, or about one every other day, with Delaware ranked 10th nationwide for overdose deaths. Through July 2015, the Medical Examiner’s Office reported 110 suspected overdose deaths. In 2014, almost 10,000 Delaware adults sought public treatment, with about one-third indicating heroin as their primary drug at the time of admission.
Connections’ new facility is located at 9 East St. in the Spartan Center Shopping Center in Harrington. Connections provides medication-assisted treatment for people suffering from opioid dependence at its facilities in Millsboro, Dover, Smyrna and Newark.
