LIMESTONE, N.Y. — For the past several months, a number of New York state and Pennsylvania residents in need of help with opiate addictions have visited the new opiate treatment center in the hamlet of Limestone. The center, operated by physician Dr. Reed Haag and medical lab technician, Brian Fries, is located in the Town of Carrollton Municipal Complex on Main Street. Currently, the center is open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Wednesdays and is accepting new patients. Haag, who also has an office in Wellsville, said he decided to open the office in Limestone to better serve patients from communities that include Limestone, Olean and Salamanca, as well as Bradford, Smethport and Warren in Pennsylvania. “I had heard there was a huge problem (with opioid addiction) in Bradford,” Haag said. “I was having a lot of patients who were coming from Smethport and Warren to my office in Wellsville. A lot of times it took them one hour and 45 minutes or longer” for travel. Haag said he had considered opening an office in Bradford, but decided against it because it would have involved obtaining licensing and insurance in Pennsylvania. He said the Limestone location allowed him to bypass those requirements while serving residents from both states. Haag said the response from patients at the new office has been good and he is considering operating the office an additional half or full day of the week. Haag said individuals who want to set up appointments can do so through referrals or by calling the office themselves. “Last night I got a phone call from a girl in Olean who has major, major problems … and was trying to get into a methadone clinic in Buffalo,” he added. “I called her last night, and will see her tomorrow. I think that most people can be seen within a week.” He said new patients will have an intake evaluation and physical examination, and will need to provide their medical history for records. “I usually do check the baseline labs, which would include urine drug screens at the time of their evaluation,” he continued. Additional visits and monitoring help the doctor determine how much suboxone the patient will need for treatment of their opioid addiction. He said new patients return for regular appointments, until they are stable. “Once everything is stable, we see them every four weeks,” Haag added. The doctor said he can also refer patients for counseling at drug and alcohol agencies, or mental health facilities, in the area. Haag characterized the patients he sees in his clinics as “good people” who need help beating their addictions. Many work one and two jobs and are from all walks of life. A resident of Wellsville, Haag has patients who are managers from local industries, professionals from hospitals and students from universities. “This is not one type of person, it’s a variety of people” seeking treatment, he explained. “For most people, once they start their treatment they can get their life back together.” In commenting on his personal life, Haag said he is a native of Scranton, Pa., and has a son, Alexander, who continues to live in Scranton, and a married daughter, Caitlyn, who lives in Elmira and has two children, Ava and Liam. For his part, Town of Carrollton Supervisor Jim Stoddard said Haag’s office is very much needed by residents in the area. “You don’t think (opioid addiction) is around here, but it’s everywhere,” Stoddard said. “You want to turn your head from it, but you can’t anymore. I’m just glad there are people getting the help they need and there’s a place for them to go in the community.” Stoddard said he is also pleased that space could be provided at the municipal building for the center. He said the building has room for the expansion of the center, if needed, or for other new offices. For more information, or to set up an appointment at the center, which accepts most medical insurance plans for lab and medical fees, contact Haag’s office at (585) 593-0400.
