Jul 5, 2002 By Amy Karpinsky 3 min read

Since opening their doors nearly three years ago, the client base of a Fayette County methadone clinic has grown from 75 patients to 350 patients and a waiting list. Rosalind Steratore Sugarmann, owner of Addiction Specialists Inc., said the rise in the number of patients since the opening of the clinic isn’t necessarily the result of more addicts in the area. She said it is the result of more addicts coming forward and acknowledging that they need help.

“It is what it is,” she said. “There will always be a need for treatment.”

The drug addiction clinic, located off of Route 51 in North Union Township, offers methadone treatment and counseling and requires patients to submit a monthly urine test. The unassuming clinic has “No Loitering” signs posted outside and patients do not remain at the site long on a standard dosage day.

Employees check patients to ensure that they have taken their medication before they are permitted to leave. Before its opening in July 1999, patients from Fayette County would have to travel to Washington or Pittsburgh to seek help for their addiction.

Sugarmann said the philosophy at the clinic is that there is no such thing as being addicted to one drug. She said the clinic treats opiate addiction. Opiates include drugs such as heroin, morphine, codeine and Oxycontin. She said the phrase drug of choice often holds true, because many times users do not like to change drugs. She said normally cocaine addicts don’t switch to opiates.

As far as a growing heroin epidemic in the area, Sugarmann said the problem has always been bad, but what has been making it worse of late is that it has “trickled downstream to younger kids.”

She said heroin used to be classified as the worst drug, and what frequently happened is that drug users progressed from other drugs to heroin. She said many would rationalize that, even through they were using drugs, at least they weren’t using heroin.

“Now kids are experimenting with it and using it first,” Sugarmann said. “It has become a real problem.”

She said traditionally, a heroin addict falls into addiction in their mid to late 20s, but in some areas, such as Pittsburgh, heroin use is starting at the high school level.

While methadone treatment can be successful, Sugarmann said the treatment method is different than other treatments because patients can be on methadone for “years and years.” She said how long a treatment process takes for completion depends on the progression of the addict’s illness.

While she stopped short of saying that business is good, Sugarmann said increased attention to addiction problems by the media can help shed light on a serious problem that has remained out of sight.

“It’s been in the closet and people are now taking a look at it,” she said. “It’s a good thing.”

Sugarmann said although the people who ask for help know they have a problem, frequently other people can see a problem before the addict can.

“Society is not educated about addiction,” she said.

Sugarmann acknowledged that 350 patients in Fayette County is a lot of patients. However, she said it means that society is getting better in informing the public about the options available for addicts.

While the bulk of the patients at the clinic are Fayette County residents, some originate from Washington, Westmoreland, Greene, Somerset and Cambria counties, she noted.

She said the problem is not any worse, but many people are simply not educated about addiction.

“Most families have addiction in them and people would rather stay in denial,” Sugarmann said.