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As part of the State Opioid Response Grant, Front Range Clinic’s mobile unit will be parked at Melissa Memorial Hospital in Holyoke every Wednesday from noon-2 p.m. for medication assisted treatment for addictions. Pictured from left are nurse Christi Couron and counselor Nicky McLean. — The Holyoke Enterprise | Johnson Publications

Road to recovery

Mobile unit brings medication assisted treatment to Holyoke

“Recovery is a journey. You just have to start.”

That’s what the promotional materials say for Front Range Clinic’s new medication assisted treatment mobile unit — an RV that started its own journey in northeast Colorado about a month ago.

The custom-built RV is providing addiction treatment to rural communities on a regular basis. It can be found in the parking lot of Melissa Memorial Hospital in Holyoke from noon-2 p.m. every Wednesday.

Other stops in the northeast region include Sedgwick, Julesburg, Sterling, Burlington and Limon.

On board are nurse Christi Couron, counselor Nicky McLean and peer recovery specialist Tonja Jimenez.

The trio will guide patients through registration, counseling, a physical exam and a urine analysis.

Patients will also use a laptop for a video chat with a Front Range Clinic provider who has gone through special training and certification for medication assisted treatment for addictions.

After discussing treatment options, if a medication is prescribed, it will be called in and filled at a pharmacy of the patient’s choice. Meds are not kept on the RV.

Couron said the patient will only receive a one-week supply of medication. The goal is that the patient will return to the mobile unit on a weekly basis for regular check-ins and so that the medication can be tapered off appropriately.

She and McLean said the medication and the counseling go hand-in-hand. The medication helps the patient feel better (without getting high) during withdrawal periods, and in turn, he or she will have a clear head for better decision-making and counseling sessions. They testified that they have seen the positive effects of treatment even after only one week.

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Holyoke Enterprise

970-854-2811 (Phone)

130 N Interocean Ave
PO Box 297
Holyoke CO 80734