JACKSONVILLE, FLa. – Despite orders from Mayor Lenny Curry and Gov. Ron DeSantis to practice social distancing because of the coronavirus outbreak, dozens of people piled up outside a Jacksonville addiction treatment center Friday.
At one point, Sky 4 aerials showed a line of 100 people in close quarters wrapping around Jacksonville Metro Treatment Center on the city’s Southside as they waited hours in some cases in nearly 90-degree heat for treatment. The crowd led the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office to send two officers to check the situation out.
Several patients voiced frustrations about the conditions outside and of News4Jax’s coverage of the crowd.
In response to questions from News4Jax, a spokesperson for the treatment center’s parent company, New Season Treatment Centers and Colonial Management Group, said the company is taking steps to keep both patients and staff safe and healthy through the COVID-19 outbreak:
“New Season Treatment Centers are taking every precaution to make sure our patients and team members stay safe and healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic, while we continue to treat people recovering from Opioid Use Disorder. To that end, our centers are following recommendations and guidance provided by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and the Centers for Disease Control by utilizing social distancing during the delivery of treatment. As a result, lines will form outside of our centers as we strive to deliver vital medication in a healthier environment while keeping interactions at safe distances.
"Presently, there is heightened anxiety among many Americans, including our patients, who are trying to cope with this unprecedented health crisis. As a care delivery organization that is a member of a critical infrastructure industry, we will continue to support our patients and provide them with the life-saving care they have come to trust from New Season.”
Substance abuse treatment centers such as this one are regulated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. They are typically open seven days a week, and they provide medication including methadone or Suboxone to those struggling with addiction. Doctors told News4Jax there are many treatments that are only available at these facilities and cannot be taken home.
Within an hour after a News4Jax crew arrived, the people previously seen waiting in line disappeared inside the building. It wasn’t immediately known how many people were allowed inside.
At a news conference at City Hall, Mayor Lenny Curry said he would have to check on the city’s response to the large, visible violation of the social distancing rules he’s been championing for the past few weeks.
The spokesperson for the treatment center said the company operates similar centers throughout the state, including another location on Ellis Road in Jacksonville. She said the company’s facilities will remain open daily to provide treatment to those seeking help with opioid addiction. She recommended that patients with questions or concerns visit the company’s website.