ANCHORAGE, Alaska (PRWEB)
October 04, 2021
Ideal Option, a national leader in evidence-based medication-assisted treatment for substance use disorder, and Carrs-Safeway, one of the largest grocery retail chains in Alaska, have teamed up to make recovery from addiction easier to sustain. Eligible Ideal Option patients can now schedule their follow up appointments inside the store’s Wellness Center, located at 1650 W Northern Lights Blvd., Anchorage, AK 99517.
The Anchorage Carrs-Safeway is the third location to open an Ideal Option clinic inside its Wellness Center this year. The first was in Vancouver, Washington earlier this summer, a ground-breaking initiative that signified an enormous step toward reducing stigma and the mainstreaming of addiction treatment. Since June of 2021, nearly 500 appointments have been completed inside the Vancouver clinic, proof positive of the popularity of the arrangement among patients and acceptance among the community.
“We couldn’t be more excited to be expanding access to life-saving medical treatment for those working to sustain their recovery from addiction,” said Tim Kilgallon, CEO of Ideal Option. “With well over 400 patients currently eligible to transition to Carrs-Safeway for maintenance care from our existing clinics in the Anchorage / Wasilla area, this was a natural choice for our third co-location with Safeway.”
Increasing capacity for treating patients with substance use disorder in the Anchorage area is timely. According to Alaska emergency department data, the average number of overdoses per week since March 2021 is almost three times higher than the weekly average number for 2019 and 2020. Ideal Option’s own lab data show that 33% of Alaskans who enrolled in treatment in July 2021 tested positive for fentanyl compared to just 7% in January 2021. While heroin and meth usage is declining, fentanyl use is skyrocketing, which puts thousands of Alaskans at risk for fatal overdose from this highly potent, dangerous synthetic opioid.
“Carrs-Safeway is dedicated to supporting Anchorage area residents with all the resources they need to stay healthy and safe,” said David Green, Director of Pharmacy Operations at Safeway. “Through this collaboration with Ideal Option, we are able to offer patients a safe, friendly and convenient place to check in with their treatment provider and stay on the path to long term recovery.”
The Ideal Option clinic inside Carrs-Safeway is open Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. and is located next to the pharmacy, inside the Wellness Center. The clinic offers maintenance appointments for existing Ideal Option patients who are undergoing maintenance treatment for addiction to fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine, alcohol and other substances.
Anyone is welcome to visit the Ideal Option clinic inside Carrs-Safeway to pick up information to and learn more. All new patients will begin treatment at the Ideal Option clinic in Anchorage, located at 2421 E. Tudor Rd., Ste. 108, or in Wasilla, located at 5431 E. Mayflower Ln., Ste. 4. Most patients will be eligible to transition to Carrs-Safeway for ongoing care after 3-4 weeks of consistent progress in recovery. Most forms of insurance are accepted, including Medicare and Medicaid, and patients can typically get started within 1-3 business days.
Patients can make an appointment by calling 1.877.522.1275 or visiting http://www.idealoption.com.
About Carrs-Safeway and The Albertsons Companies
Albertsons Companies is a leading food and drug retailer in the United States. The company operates stores across 34 states and the District of Columbia under 20 well-known banners including Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, Shaw’s, Acme, Tom Thumb, Randalls, United Supermarkets, Pavilions, Star Market, Haggen and Carrs-Safeway. Albertsons Cos. is committed to helping people across the country live better lives by making a meaningful difference, neighborhood by neighborhood. In 2019 alone, along with the Albertsons Companies Foundation, the company gave $225 million in food and financial support. In 2020, Albertsons Cos. made a $53 million commitment to community hunger relief efforts and a $5 million commitment to organizations supporting social justice. These efforts have helped millions of people in the areas of hunger relief, education, cancer research and treatment, social justice and programs for people with disabilities and veterans’ outreach.
About Ideal Option
Headquartered in Kennewick, Washington, Ideal Option was founded in 2012 and has since helped nearly 45,000 patients through a network of 70 office-based medication-assisted treatment (MAT) clinics across 10 states, including 26 locations in WA state. With a mission to serve under-served communities, Ideal Option accepts all forms of insurance including Medicaid and Medicare. Financial assistance and payment plans are also available.
Ideal Option’s team of medical providers carry certifications in Addiction and Emergency Medicine, Internal, OB/GYN, and Family Medicine, among other specialties. The company also employs social workers, caseworkers, counselors, and mental health practitioners. This holistic approach helps drive positive outcomes, including family stability, stable housing, improved overall health, and reduced rates of recidivism.
In all the communities it serves, Ideal Option collaborates with existing stakeholders and providers to improve the continuum of care. This approach includes partnerships with emergency rooms and county jail systems, where individuals with substance use disorder often appear, as well as collaborating with numerous support agencies and municipal programs addressing social needs such as housing, mental health, and nutrition support.