ORLANDO, FL--(Marketwired - December 11, 2017) - Amid the stunning opioid epidemic in Orange County, which has seen opioid-related overdoses multiply nearly two-and-a-half times in 2017 alone, CleanSlate Centers, a national leader in office-based opioid treatment (OBOT), announced today the opening of a new treatment center in Orlando. Statewide, more than 4,000 children were born in 2016 with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS), the clinical term for opioid dependence in babies.

"Florida's communities have been among the hardest hit in the nation by the opioid epidemic. We've heard very clearly from our patients and payor partners across the state that there is a desperate need for increased access to effective addiction treatment," said Gregory Marotta, President and CEO of CleanSlate Centers. "We look forward to providing our safe, proven services to anyone in Orange County who may need our support."

The new outpatient center -- located at 2000 North Alafaya Trail, Suite 200 in Orlando -- began seeing patients this morning. This location marks CleanSlate's fourth in the group's growing Florida network, joining other sites in Tampa, Plantation and Miami Gardens. A fifth center is scheduled to open in Jacksonville at the beginning of 2018.

All of CleanSlate's Florida centers are taking deliberate steps to address the massive toll the opioid epidemic is taking on the community, particularly infants. Increasing access to opioid addiction treatment for Floridians, especially expectant mothers, is a high priority for CleanSlate officials.

"We've made the commitment to fast-track pregnant women suffering from addiction into our program," said Maria Russo-Appel, M.D., Eastern Division Medical Director for CleanSlate. "Our mission is to save lives and help patients live the lives they want and deserve. We are passionate about doing everything we can for these moms, babies and the communities in which we operate."

CleanSlate's award-winning program of care, which includes the appropriate use of medications such as buprenorphine and naltrexone, clear accountability and supportive counseling, sets the group apart from methadone programs in the area -- many of which have extensive waitlists and offer fewer services.

Now with 33 centers across the country, CleanSlate continues to build on a nearly decade-long track record that includes treating more than 25,000 patients in some of the states hit hardest by the opioid epidemic. With approximately 7,000 active patients today, the national medical group continues to underscore its commitment to expanding access to those in need of treatment by aggressively growing its footprint.

"People suffering from this brain disease need access to medication-assisted treatment," said Dr. Kelly J. Clark, Chief Medical Officer at CleanSlate. "We know the only way to win the battle against addiction is by working together, and we are deepening our relationships with payors and local partners so we can provide effective addiction treatment to anyone in Orange County who needs it."

For more information or to schedule an appointment at any of the medical group's Florida centers, please call 407-571-0285 or visit http://www.cleanslatecenters.com.

About CleanSlate Centers

A pioneer and leader in outpatient addiction medicine, CleanSlate Centers is a national medical group which provides treatment for the chronic disease of addiction, primarily opioid and alcohol use disorders. Founded in 2009 in response to the growing opioid epidemic facing the country, the company is a growing, multi-state network of physician-led outpatient addiction treatment centers where patients who have addiction and associated disorders can receive medication-assisted treatment and related therapies using the highest quality, evidence-based practices.

For more information, please visit CleanSlateCenters.com.