Lewiston Hospital Upgrading Facilities to Treat Drug Addicts

Originally published in Spectrum News Buffalo

LEWISTON, N.Y. — With the help of money from the state, a Niagara County hospital is upgrading its facilities to treat people suffering from drug and alcohol addiction.

Clearview Treatment Services at Mount Saint Mary's in Lewiston is adding eight more patient beds as part of a $1.2 million expansion.

The state is covering $825,000.

The facility currently serves about 20 people at a time, but there's usually a waiting list of 10-12 more.

Leaders say the number of people looking or help with heroin and opioid addictions continues to grow.

“When someone comes in, who's on heroin, comes in and says ‘I need treatment now’ and you say ‘come back in three weeks because we have a waiting list,’ you may never see that person again. In fact, there's a good chance you're not going to see that person again,” said Rob Ortt, (R) Senate — North Tonawanda.

The hospital plans to start treating more patients in a few weeks. The entire project should be finished by the end of the year.

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