ORANGE PARK, Fla. — A methadone clinic is setting up shop right near a local school and neighborhood filled with hundreds of kids.
One of the empty business spaces in a plaza off Blanding Boulevard will soon be filled with a methadone clinic and that’s upsetting parents like Mike Hall.
"I'm absolutely very concerned. I have a daughter that takes tap and ballet," said Hall.
Like other neighbors living near the Orange Park Country Club behind the plaza, Hall doesn't want the clinic here, near his 7-year-old daughter and other children.
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“We’ve contemplated moving out of the neighborhood because of the clinic,” said Hall.
"I don't want anyone not to get clean, but at what expense to my child," said parent Fran Lang.
But, the county commissioner for this area said he's looked into neighbor's complaints.
“It’s completely legal,” said Commissioner Wayne Bolla. “Those properties are zoned BSC, which legally allows clinics to move into the area,” said Bolla.
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Wayne Bolla said River Region Human Services is the company setting up the methadone clinic to help those with drug addictions. The company is a non-profit facility through the State of Florida, according to the Clay County Sheriff's Office.
The services the clinic will be providing are counseling, administering Methadone on-site and addiction related services, said CCSO.Bolla said he’s already asked the sheriff’s office to make check on this area.
“We’re going to keep a close eye on how things are going,” said Bolla.
The clinic will not be able to administer methadone until the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has regulated the clinic and given licenses, which could take several months, according to the CCSO.
"We've spoken with the Jacksonville HIDTA detectives regarding the facility in their county and they advised that their clinic has given them no problems," said Mary Justino with the CCSO. "The overall reputation of this company is good and positive."
Justino said the agency hasn't handled methadone related cases last year or so far this year.
We also reached out to the school district to ask about whether they’ll be making any changes. We’re still waiting to hear from them.
WJAX
