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Resident urges Rockbridge County to support a methadone clinic to improve treatment access
Summary
Lisonbee Clark told the Board of Supervisors that many local residents lack access to methadone treatment and urged county support for a local clinic, citing national retention data and challenges traveling to distant clinics.
Lisonbee Clark, a Vesuvius resident and recent Radford University graduate, told the Rockbridge County Board of Supervisors during public comment that the county should consider supporting a local methadone clinic to expand treatment options for people with severe opioid dependence.
Clark said methadone programs retain a higher share of patients over the long term compared with buprenorphine (Suboxone) and argued the county should focus on retention because relapses are linked to overdoses and other harms. She noted patients currently must travel more than an hour to Roanoke, Lynchburg or Harrisonburg to reach the nearest methadone clinics, creating daily transportation barriers for people who need on‑site dosing several times per week.
"Treating opioid addiction as a moral issue makes about as much sense as treating kidney failure as a moral issue," Clark said, urging the board to view addiction as a medical condition and support evidence‑based treatment. She described methadone as highly regulated and said it ‘‘blocks euphoria while also helping to significantly reduce drug cravings.’’
Clark also referenced federal standards and the Americans with Disabilities Act in arguing that treatment programs should be treated like other medical facilities for zoning and access purposes. She asked the board to consider local options so residents do not have to travel long distances for treatment.
The board did not take action during the meeting; Clark’s remarks were part of the citizen comment period and were not followed by staff motions or votes.
