APT Foundation launched two mobile treatment units based at its Guilford location to expand access to treatment for people with opioid use disorder along the shoreline and in other Connecticut communities.

The nonprofit announced the program August 13, saying the mobile medical units allow eligible patients to receive medication and recovery-focused counseling at designated community locations after enrolling in treatment through APT Foundation. According to APT Foundation, it is the first provider in Connecticut to offer methadone treatment through mobile medical units, intended to reduce transportation and geographic barriers that can delay access to care.

Dr. Lynn Madden, CEO of APT Foundation, said, "When someone decides they're ready for treatment, every barrier matters. By bringing our services directly to where they live, we're meeting people where they are and ensuring that geography or transportation isn't the reason someone goes without care."

The two units serve patients for several hours each day at community locations, including Alliance for Living and Ledge Light Health District in New London and Apple Rehab in Old Saybrook and Guilford, with additional stops planned as the program expands. The mobile program builds on APT Foundation's Open Access Model, which allows individuals to receive a comprehensive evaluation at its 1 Long Wharf location in New Haven and begin treatment the same day they seek help.

Once enrolled, eligible patients can receive ongoing medication through the mobile units at designated locations, where they also have access to recovery-focused counseling from licensed clinicians. APT Foundation said it has reduced the average time between intake and treatment from three weeks to less than three hours through its Open Access Model.

The mobile program was funded by the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) through Connecticut Opioid Settlement Funds. Founded in 1970 by members of the Yale School of Medicine's Department of Psychiatry, APT Foundation is an independent nonprofit headquartered in New Haven that serves more than 7,000 individuals annually across five clinical sites in New Haven County.