Gov. Tom Wolf's administration is using $4 million in federal aid to help start up four regional medication-assisted programs to treat people struggling with drug addiction.
The $1 million grants announced Tuesday will be anchored by four health systems in Pennsylvania.
They are going to Pittsburgh-based Allegheny Health Network, Danville-based Geisinger, York-based WellSpan Health and Harrisburg's Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute, a collaboration between Penn State Health and PinnacleHealth.
The concept is patterned on a system in Vermont. The health systems are envisioned as hubs that work to manage addiction care with various primary care clinics, and can see patients within a day or two.
Treatments can include methodone, suboxone and vivitrol. Wolf expects the services will be covered by insurers. Geisinger has opened outpatient addiction clinics in Bloomsburg and Wilkes-Barre, with a third expected.
