BY JEFF CHUDZINSKINorth Country This Week

CANTON -- Numbers remain steady in the St. Lawrence County Community Services clinics, which includes addiction services, a mental health clinic and Opioid Treatment Program (OTP).

County officials say the numbers remain steady, with monthly clinic counselors visit averages sitting at 69% overall. Monthly visits for addiction services sits at 67.9%, while mental health clinic visits sit at 74.2% and OTP visits sit at 64.9%.

Though initial figures showed 13 individuals sitting on the waitlist, officials say that number is actually at just two right now.

Seven individuals who were on the waitlist are now receiving treatment and seeing counselors, while four were not reachable to enroll or are now receiving outpatient counseling.

Efforts to utilize Methadone instead of Suboxone are also going well, with the majority of individuals receiving such treatment using Methadone, officials say.

County officials say they are able to treat patients more efficiently in addiction services with Methadone, something that saves staff time and storage of Suboxone.

For OTP, addiction services and outside sources utilized to treat patients was nearly even in May, with 83 people using addiction services while 82 utilized outside sources.

Across the three clinics operated by Community Services, the total services average sits at 2,043.  

In May, there were 1,866 total visits that served 712 total patients.

While numbers remain steady for treatment, county officials say billing and reimbursement rates have changed significantly for both the mental health and addiction services clinics.

From Dec. 2023 to Feb. 2024, reimbursements for mental health rose from 84% to 102%, while reimbursements for addiction services rose from 86% to 99%.

Officials say the billing department is beginning to conduct write offs, many related to COVID copays that could not be collected during that time frame.

Due to those write offs figures may fluctuate in the coming months, officials say.

In other action, legislators unanimously approved a budget modification of $12,700 for Community Services for medical malpractice insurance with Allied World Surplus Line Insurance Company.

Officials say a handful of accounts were over budget based on what came through from the initial quote for insurance, necessitating the resolution to modify the eight accounts.