Ideal Option Opens New Addiction Medicine Clinic in Fayetteville

November 10, 2023November 9, 2023 HCO News Staff 1888 Views Ideal Option, opioid addiction, outpatient treatment

By HCO Staff

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark.—Ideal Option, a national leader in outpatient treatment for addiction to fentanyl, xylazine, heroin, methamphetamine, alcohol and polysubstance, is now welcoming new patients in Fayetteville. The newly established low-barrier clinic, conveniently located at 225 N East Ave, is dedicated to offering evidence-based treatment to help individuals reclaim their lives.

Despite a decline in opioid prescribing and heroin use, Arkansas continues to experience a surge in overdose deaths, largely attributed to the widespread presence of fentanyl in the illicit drug market. According to the Arkansas Take Back Opioid Dashboard, overdose deaths in Washington County alone jumped 79% from 14 fatalities in 2020 to 25 in 2021.

The dangerous practice of mixing fentanyl with other illicit substances to intensify addiction, often unbeknownst to the user, has made polysubstance use disorder the prevailing diagnosis at Ideal Option. Their 2022 Annual Patient Outcomes Report, which aggregates lab testing results from over 1,000 patients in Arkansas, reveals that more than 50% of patients tested positive for multiple substances upon enrollment, with 24% testing positive for three or more.

The report does offer hope, however, by underscoring the effectiveness of medication-assisted treatment in combating both isolated and polysubstance use. For patients who remained in Ideal Option’s care throughout 2022, lab testing results show remarkable reductions in substance use:

87% less total opioid use
94% less fentanyl use
96% less heroin use
77% less methamphetamine use
90% less cocaine use

The new clinic is Ideal Option’s second location in Washington County and is opening at a time of desperate need for expanded access to evidence-based treatment from experienced providers. Ideal Option has been specializing in addiction medicine for 11 years, using buprenorphine-based medications such as Suboxone®, and currently operates 90 clinics across 9 states.

“I have lived in Northwest Arkansas my entire life and am honored to be a part of an amazing treatment team that is having major positive impacts in the lives of individuals who have been affected by substance use disorder,” said Ashley Lahue, peer outreach specialist for Ideal Option. “Our community has made great strides in ending the stigma surrounding addiction by embracing harm reduction efforts and medication-assisted treatment, but we still have a long way to go. I am proud to be a part of an organization that’s leading that effort.”