ROCHESTER N.Y. – Walls decked with inspiring words visible just inside the doors of a Rochester institution are there to help those battling addiction.

With the cut of a ribbon, the Huther Doyle Memorial Institute’s Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) Clinic celebrated its expansion Thursday, allowing the clinic to help even more people in need. The clinic already serves more than 200 people.

“It is our commitment to stay with them through the entire journey and celebrate their recovery because they have a right to it,” said Kelly Reed, the Huther Doyle president and CEO.

She says the expansion focuses on providing up-to-date medications now available to people in treatment for substance abuse.

“We need to be ready, right at the time someone is ready to make a change in their lives. We have expanded our hours, and every day that we are open we have open hours for people to walk in to receive on demands evaluations and services,” added Reed.

Dr. Timothy Wiegand, director of toxicology and Huther Doyle medical director, says the fight against the heroin and opioid epidemic relies first on the foundation laid by new medications.

“To start people on the medication to stabilize the craving and block their use if they use, and then you can start working with them on counseling and the mental health and all the other parts that go into recovery,” said Wiegmand.

Edwin Martinez said he was introduced to opioids at the time he was moving from New York City to Farmington. He credits the treatment program for his 28 years of sobriety.

“I came up here from NYC I got introduced to opioids and really it almost destroyed my family,” said Martinez. “It’s an unbelievable place to be if you want to be in recovery.”

Last year, 169 Monroe County residents lost their lives to a heroin or fentanyl overdose. So far in 2018, a total of 51 people have died from overdoses.

For more information on the treatment program and expansion, visit www.hutherdoyle.com.