The methadone clinic will be located at Main and Third streets.

Chautauqua County should be getting its first methadone clinic this summer.

During the county Board of Health meeting, Misty Pennington, mental hygiene program coordinator in Chautauqua County, shared that Alba de vida of Buffalo is renovating 303 and 305 Main St., Dunkirk for the clinic. “Barring any unforeseen circumstances, they hope to have the Dunkirk methadone clinic up and running in July of this year,” she said.

Meanwhile, Alba de vida is currently hiring various staff members and has purchasd a van to create a mobile Medication-Assisted Treatment vehicle to start off in Dunkirk and travel to more rural parts of the county. “That is certainly good news for our folks that struggle with transporation,” said Pennington. She did note the van will not be distributing methadone.

Alba de vida is coordinating with Dunkirk’s opioid court as well.

Pennington noted the nurse practitioner is going to start doing telehealth with individuals next month for the mobile program.

Complete coverage in the weekend edition of the OBSERVER.