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Treatment for Opioid Addiction Available Through HealthFinders

daydigginsnichole

Updated: Mar 9, 2024

Hope for opioid addiction is available in Faribault and Northfield through the efforts of HealthFinders Collaborative. HealthFinders is accepting new patients in its Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) clinic. Led by HealthFinders Director of Clinical Care and Certified Family Nurse Practitioner, Emily Carroll, along with nurse practitioners Jim Anway and Courtney Kiesow, the MAT clinic provides an evidence-based approach to treating opioid addiction.







“People become addicted to opiates in the form of heroin, fentanyl or opioid painkillers for many different reasons,” says Carroll. “Our priority is to support patients in their recovery.” Access to MAT is difficult – if not impossible – for many Minnesotans. Nationally, less than 5% of health care providers offer MAT, and fewer than 50% of Minnesota counties have access to buprenorphine prescribers. MAT is one option for treating opioid use disorder (OUD). Treatment with Methadone, Naloxone, or abstinence only programs are also options – and patients seen at HealthFinders are offered referrals for these options as well. Buprenorphine-based MAT, however, often represents the best hope for long-term treatment of OUD and overdose prevention. One of the greatest successes of MAT services at HealthFinders stems from its partnership with the Rice County Mobile Opioid Support Team (MOST), a county-wide coalition of agencies coming together to address opioid use. The project, supported through a grant from the Minnesota Department of Human Services, is working to expand local options for MAT and provides community members recovery support and connection to resources. MOST and HealthFinders MAT work together to ensure patients are given the resources needed for recovery. In rural areas, connecting all elements of successful treatment can be challenging, especially for patients who do not have a driver’s license. MOST can arrange transportation for patients as well as a host of support services. True to its mission, HealthFinders is committed to providing MAT to patients who do not have insurance. MAT office visits are billed according to HealthFinders’ sliding fee scale. Purchasing Suboxone is expensive (between $50 and $250 per month). However, HealthFinders works with pharmacies and other agencies to help patients purchase this medication or find the lowest-cost prescription locally. HealthFinders also works with patients to help them apply for health insurance right away when possible. The organization typically sees only uninsured patients and patients with public-insurance plans. However, for the MAT clinic, HealthFinders will accept all types of insurance, committed to its decision to ensure that MAT is available to any resident of Rice County.

Learn more by calling HealthFinders at 507-323-8100.

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