BALTIMORE — Baltimore has the highest number of drug overdose deaths in the country.
That's according to a nationwide tracker of drug overdoses released by the San Francisco Chronicle.
To combat the problem, a new clinic just opened in the Park Heights neighborhood.
Ideal Option is an outpatient medical treatment program that has been around since 2012.
They have offices all across the state, but recently opened a new clinic not too far from the Rogers Avenue Metro.
For more than 30 years, Roy Littleton struggled with addiction to alcohol and drugs.
“When I do something, I do it to the extreme. It’s just the way I am. And with drugs, I did them to the extreme," said Littleton.
Littleton realized he needed to get help. He went to an inpatient program. Afterwards, he contacted the Ideal Option clinic in Rosedale. He says thanks to the outpatient treatment program, he has been clean for nearly four years.
“They ask what my background is. When I go in every month, they see what I’ve been doing that month to make sure I’m doing the right things. So, they actually care about what I do.”
Littleton is just one of the many patients who receive treatment from Ideal Option. The program has clinics in different parts of the state and country. However, because of the need, they just opened an office on Hayward Avenue in Baltimore.
"Baltimore is about 10 percent of Maryland’s population and we make up about 30 percent of just the overdose deaths in Maryland," said Nakisha Christian, a certified registered nurse practitioner with Ideal Option.
Because of the high overdose rate, Ideal Option officials knew they needed to open a clinic in the Park Heights area.
“There’s a lot of fentanyl use in the area. We looked at a lot of the reports through the health department. We realized that this was a hot spot and area really in need," said Wells-Anderson.
Wells-Anderson is the community outreach coordinator. She says they do more than just give patients medicine.
“We treat the whole person because we know there’s a whole lot going on at one time. so, we make sure we partner with people in other community organizations, said Wells-Anderson.
Because the clinic is new in Park Heights, they do not have a wait list.
Ideal Option officials say if you need help, give them a call.
For more information click here.
