County commission fighting against Tennessee methadone clinic

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – A methadone clinic could soon open up in Cookeville, but Putnam County commissioners are fighting against it.

Commissioners said dozens of people have put up signs in their yards pushing back against the clinic in their community, but clinic leaders aren’t letting that stop them.

Cedar Recovery Center has one of its 14 Tennessee methadone clinics in Mt. Juliet. They want to expand into Cookeville.

“We filed a certificate of need application to begin the provision of an opioid treatment program in Putnam County,” Paul Trivette, chief strategy officer for Cedar Recovery, said.

Trivette said they’re applying to open a clinic that will help people fight against drug addiction but county commissioners are fighting against it. During a meeting on June 24, Commissioner Fred Vondra said they heard from Trivette and even some recovering drug addicts.

“There were some powerful testimonies given by recovering people…that basically stated that putting that in is just taking one addiction and switching it to another, there are better ways to treat people,” Vondra said.

Because of those testimonies, Vondra said the commission voted unanimously against the clinic moving into Cookeville.

“It’s really sad that they’re opposing this. There is no question, the evidence is undeniable that the utilization of medication to treat opioid use disorders, specifically methadone, Buprenorphine and naltrexone is the gold standard of care,” Trivette said.

He adds that Putnam County is a “treatment desert,” meaning there are very few opioid addiction treatment centers nearby and no methadone clinics in the county.

“There are around 101 people that live in the upper Cumberland area…that are traveling every day to get this service,” Trivette said.

“We already have Suboxone being distributed in this other clinic that we have in Cookeville so we don’t need another one,” Vondra said. “People are writing letters, there are yards sings up all over Cookeville that they don’t want this in their backyard.”

Vondra adds that it’s in the hands of the Tennessee Health Facilities Commission. Hundreds of people in Putnam County have put together a petition for while Cedar Recovery hopes it works out in their favor.

“Even though it passed it doesn’t bother me, and the reason it doesn’t bother me is because we’re going to state committed to the community,” Trivette said.

The THFC plans to vote on the clinic July 31.

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