Lane County Treatment Center FAQs

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This FAQ section is designed to provide information about the Lane County Treatment Center.

If you have additional questions or comments, please email us at: [email protected]

What does Lane County Treatment Center do?

Lane County Treatment Center (LCTC) utilizes Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) to help individuals who are physically and behaviorally dependent on opiates. MAT combines FDA-approved medications with counseling and behavioral therapies to treat opioid use disorders. MAT aims to normalize brain chemistry, reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms, and prevent relapse by addressing both the physical and psychological aspects of addiction.

LCTC combines counseling and behavioral therapies such as cognitive behavioral therapy to help patients identify triggers, develop coping mechanisms, and address the psychological aspects of dependence. We also provide case management services and peer support which assist patients with barriers to treatment, developing healthy support systems and connecting them with other community resources. These services provide emotional support and help patients build a strong foundation for long-term recovery.

What will the Florence Treatment Center do?

LCTC will operate the Florence Treatment Center with the same array of services as the Eugene location (listed in the question answer above).

How does giving people drugs help with drug dependence?

Physical opiate dependence can be nearly impossible to overcome for some individuals, depending on their duration and nature of their usage. Medication Assisted Treatment utilizes a small controlled dosage of a derivative which behaves differently than conventional opiates to alleviate some physical withdrawal symptoms. This dosage is not enough to elicit the “high” typically associated with opiate use but enough to manage symptoms. This medication, coupled with behavioral therapy is a proven way to combat dependence and stabilize lives.

What kind of people go through this treatment?

All kinds. The treatment population mirrors a cross-section of the community it comes from. We serve adults 18 and older from all communities, racial identities, and economic backgrounds. Opiate dependence does not discriminate among those it affects.

Does this program use judicial referrals?

It can, but that is not the way the majority of clients are referred.

Do most people enter the program on their own volition?

Yes, the vast majority of clients self refer, meaning they have decided they do not want to use opiates any longer and enroll in the program to cope with their physical and behavioral dependence issues.

What kind of outcomes do you see from the program?

We see the majority of the people who enroll in the program alleviate the negative effects of physical dependence. This leads to stabilization within their lives. This stability helps participants retain and maintain employment, helps build and maintain healthy relationships, and eliminates harmful behaviors associated with opiate dependence.

85-92% of individuals who stick with the program for at least a year achieve that kind of stability.

Will this program help curtail the usage of fentanyl in the community?

Yes. Fentanyl’s presence in a community, like most things, ebbs and flows based on supply and demand. By reducing demand, we reduce supply, which helps limit availability overall. Less supply means fewer new cases of addiction and dependence.

How many people in the Florence area can use this service right now?

Currently, there are roughly 30 individuals from the Florence area who are accessing services at our Eugene clinic location. We estimate there are roughly an additional 70+ individuals in the Florence area who could immediately benefit from medication assisted treatment.

Will this program draw people who are dependent on drugs to Florence?

There is no mutual aid agreement with any other counties for medication assisted treatment. This means this service is for individuals who reside in Lane County, and specifically Western Lane. Besides that fact, people do not typically relocate their physical residence to access outpatient treatment services

Is this service for unhoused individuals?

This service is for individuals who are physically dependent on opiates and demonstrate a desire to manage and alleviate that dependence. People of all walks of life struggle with opiate dependence but the service is not specifically focused on serving individuals who are unhoused.

Will this facility shelter unhoused individuals?

No. This is facility is specifically designed to serve as an outpatient treatment facility. There will be no overnight accommodations. In fact, the average duration of a client appointment is under an hour.

Do people loiter around the treatment facility?

No. Part of this is due to the nature of services and the other part is Lane County’s commitment to reducing community impact. We’ve found that typically individuals utilizing the services offered at a medication assisted treatment center do so and then get on with their day. There is no incentive or reason to stay within the area.

Does the presence of treatment facilities impact proper values of adjacent properties?

No. A study by the National Bureau of Economic Research found no measurable impact on properties adjacent to drug treatment facilities. It is important to note that buying behaviors are fickle and what is true in one market may not be the same in a different market.

Does the presence of a treatment facility impact criminality in the area?

Nationally, research has indicated that drug treatment facilities have no more impact on criminality in the location they are cited than a liquor store. In Lane County, we have seen no increase in criminality due to the citing of LCTC. This is due to the accountability we hold our clients to, the good neighbor agreements we enter into with adjoining property owners, and increased presence by county officials in the area. Additionally, Lane County has increased security presence in areas where property crime has been an issue, effectively reducing crime that is unrelated to the facility’s specific use. Due to of all this, immediate neighbors of the Lane County Treatment Cener in Eugene have noted improved appearance of the property, decreased loitering and the elimination of camping on and around the clinic.