Community Corner
Local Community Provider Addresses Opioid Epidemic
Connecticut Counseling Centers, Inc. provides lifesaving treatment services for those in the community struggling with opioid addiction
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In observation of National Addiction Awareness Month (September), we sat down with Rob Lambert, President and CEO of Connecticut Counseling Centers, LLC to learn more about CCC and it’s mission…
Q. Greetings Rob and welcome! Tell us a bit about CCC and the services you offer:
Thank you Patch for taking the time to speak with me today. Connecticut Counseling Centers, Inc. (CCC) is a community based non-profit behavioral healthcare organization that provides outpatient treatment for substance use and mental health disorders. We were founded in 1984 and have five clinics located in Norwalk, Danbury, Waterbury, and Meriden. Our treatment programs range from low to high intensity treatment depending on an individual’s needs. All of our programs provide counseling, case management, and medication management if needed. Our programs are staffed by dedicated and caring licensed counselors/therapists and medical staff. As a community based non-profit, our mission is to provide needed treatment services to individuals regardless of insurance status. Our newest clinic is the Meriden Clinic and we are quite proud of this treatment center. We opened this state of the art treatment center about two years ago in response to an unmet need for treatment services in the Meriden area.
Q. Wow, that sounds like such interesting and important work, especially now when opioid addiction is the 3rd leading cause of death in the United States. How does CT rank and which cities are the most affected by Opioid addiction?
The Opioid epidemic is one of the most challenging community health crisis facing Connecticut. In 2023 there were 1,338 overdose deaths in Connecticut. That represents an average of 3.57 deaths per day. No area of Connecticut has been spared. When you look at a map of where these overdoses are occurring you realize that the problem affects both big cities and small towns. The opioid epidemic also knows no social economic bounds. Most people know someone who has been affected in some way by opioid addiction and unfortunately, the illegal opioid supply is only becoming more dangerous. During the past few years we have seen the introduction of illicit fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that is 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin. This has resulted in a dramatic increase in opioid overdose deaths during the past five years. Last year in Connecticut, 85% of opioid overdose deaths involved fentanyl. More recently, Nitazenes, another synthetic opioid that is more powerful than fentanyl, has started to appear in the streets. We are also seeing more cases of Xylazine use. Xylazine is an animal tranquilizer that is illegally being diverted to the streets and is being mixed with the opioids and sold as heroin. Unfortunately, this substance can cause a variety of medical problems when used by humans. The sad truth is most people do not know that they are using these substances as they are often sold as “Heroin”. However, the substance that has treatment and healthcare officials most concerned is Carfentanil. This synthetic Opioid is 10,000 times more potent than morphine and 100 times more potent than fentanyl.
The good news is that we have effective treatments for opioid dependence. This includes medication assisted treatment, a comprehensive approach that combines counseling, case management, medication with medical monitoring, and peer support services. There are currently three FDA approved medications used in this type of treatment. In our experience, the most effective of these, especially in the treatment of fentanyl dependence, is methadone. In fact, our largest programs are our Opioid Treatment Programs, which utilizes the medication methadone. Unfortunately, medication assisted treatment, especially methadone, has been highly stigmatized and there are persistent myths and misunderstanding about it.
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Q. What are these and what would you like people to know about this treatment?
That treatment with methadone is first and foremost a medical treatment. Sometimes people mistakenly believe that methadone and illicit drugs such as heroin and fentanyl are the same. Nothing could be further from the truth. Methadone acts differently in the brain and stabilizes the brain chemistry of someone addicted to opioids so that they can engage in the recovery process. A good analogy would be diabetes. People with diabetes may need to take a medication like insulin in order to stabilize their body chemistry regardless of the behavioral changes they make to improve their health. When someone is addicted to powerful opioids such as heroin for an extended period of time, it changes the brain in profound and long lasting ways. The research tells us that medication assisted treatment with medications such as methadone and buprenorphine are the most effective treatments available for opioid dependence and are considered the “gold standard” of treatment by both state and federal healthcare authorities. There are also several persistent myths about the adverse effects of methadone. In fact, it is a safe medication when taken as prescribed by a physician.
Q. How does CCC differ from other addiction treatment centers? What sets you apart from the other options out there?
We are very proud of the services we provide and have been on the cutting edge of our field for several years. CCC has won a number of national awards for innovative initiatives and programs we developed. We have also been involved in research over the years investigating new innovative treatment approaches. We currently are involved in research projects in collaboration with Yale University and the National Institutes on Drug Abuse.
We also provide education for individuals aspiring for a career in the behavioral healthcare field Our Connecticut Certified Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor (CT CADAC) Training Program provides the training hours needed to become a certified or licensed addictions counselor in Connecticut. During the past thirty years we have prepared over nine hundred individuals for a career in the field. We also provide a clinical rotation training in addiction medicine for medical students at the Yale University Medical School.
But I believe the thing that really sets us apart is our staff. Our compassionate and professional staff are truly dedicated to the recovery of our patients. They realize that for many, recovery is a journey and that no two people have the exact same recovery path. I believe that compassion, patience, and caring support are the most important qualities that we can provide our patients.
Q. That is certainly impressive! What if someone feels nervous or anxious about coming forward about their own or a Loved One’s addiction? How does CCC address the social stigma and fear of “coming forward” and getting treatment?
This is a big issue. The most common barrier to treatment is the social stigma and fear that someone will find out about their problems whether it be their friends, family, work, or the community. All treatment services we provide are strictly confidential. We take this very seriously. As I mentioned, our staff are caring professionals who are very aware of this concern. We work with our patients to create a treatment plan that fits their individual situation and customize a treatment plan based upon the individual.
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Thank you very much for sitting down with us today Rob and highlighting CCC and the amazing services you offer! If someone is interested in learning more how can they reach CCC?
They can visit our web site at ctcounseling.org or call us at 203-568-7466. If they call this number, the receptionist will transfer your call to a treatment professional at the clinic closest to them.
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