Spero Health clinic, at 2930 Carter Ave., is part of a network of more than 45 Spero Health locations in Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia and Indiana, providing care for more than 8,500 patients.
According to the latest data by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, More than 81,000 died from drug overdoses from May 2019 to 2020, according to figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — the largest number of overdose deaths recorded in a single year. Kentucky reported a 22% spike in deaths.
Spero Health CEO Steve Priest said the dramatic numbers drew the clinci to Ashland.
“When the spread of the pandemic started last year, our most vulnerable became even more vulnerable experiencing job loss, isolation and increased psychological issues, all of which made an already life-threatening drug epidemic even worse,” Priest said. “Alarming rates of overdose deaths have spiked because people have felt uncertainty and instability. Now more than ever communities need to have local, affordable access to life-saving addiction treatment options, and we are working very hard to continue to make that happen.”
Based in Nashville, Spero Health aims to provide affordable, quality addiction treatment services using telehealth and in-person options and offering physical and behavioral care.
David Hayden, senior vice president of clinical services, said the approach provides hope.
“Recovery is possible for everyone. Spero Health’s goal is to engage patients where they are in their journey and personalize the program to meet their specific needs so they can stabilize, allowing for interventions to support sustained recovery efforts,” he said. “Patients will have weekly access to a physician or nurse practitioner, counseling and recovery support services that help link them back to the community to address other issues such as housing, food insecurity, employment and much more. We want to make it as easy as possible for patients to get the help they need that’s both affordable and close to home.”
Spero Health is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities and accepts most insurance plans.
Those seeking help may walk in or call (606) 467-2021 for more information or to schedule an appointment.