Pubdate: Tue, 16 Dec 2003 Source: Roanoke Times (VA) Copyright: 2003 Roanoke Times Contact: http://www.roanoke.com/roatimes/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/368 Author: Lisa Applegate Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/rehab.htm (Treatment) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?136 (Methadone) ROANOKE TIGHTENS THE RULES ON CLINICS Several Northwest Roanoke Residents Attended The Meeting Ready To Present Petitions. An amendment passed by the Roanoke City Council adds another hoop that future methadone clinics must jump through, but it won't trip up the one planned for Northwest Roanoke. The amendment to the zoning guidelines, passed by the city council and the planning commission during a joint hearing Monday night, takes effect immediately. It requires that outpatient mental health and substance abuse clinics wanting to locate in Roanoke apply for special permission. The amendment was developed in about a month. City council members said they wanted something on the books quickly to dissuade other potential methadone clinics from being established. This fall, National Specialty Clinics applied for and received a business license to provide treatments to addicts of drugs such as heroin or OxyContin. A similar company is appealing a Roanoke County denial of a business license to operate in Southwest county. Several residents of Northwest Roanoke attended Monday's meeting ready to present petitions and demand that the clinic not be built in their neighborhood. But council members restated that they weren't aware of the license until it was already granted. "This was done unto us as much as unto you," said member Linda Wyatt. "You can spend a lot of time pointing fingers and saying you should have known this ... but blame cannot stop that methadone clinic." Several members suggested that council and residents join together to fight the clinic the only way they could: by asking the state to get involved. Two mental health clinicians also spoke, but their concerns were about the wording of the amendment. Gail Burruss, director of prevention, assessment and counseling services for Blue Ridge Behavioral Health Care, said she understood the council's intent was to have some control over methadone clinics. But, she said the amendment could deny other clinics - such as free clinics which provide counseling and dispense medications for drug addicts - a business license. She said she hopes various mental health and substance abuse groups in the valley can meet with the city to hammer out an improved amendment soon. - --- MAP posted-by: Jackl