SANFORD — York County’s only methadone clinic, which opened just 1 1/2 years ago, is closing due to a lack of government support, company officials say.

The closure of Spectrum Health Systems was announced this morning as the newspaper was about to go to press.

The outpatient treatment facility that treats patients with heroin and other opiate addictions opened in January 2014 at 69 Eagle Drive in a Sanford industrial park.

“We know our services are needed but in the absence of governmental support for treatment, our hands are tied in this decision, and that’s tragic,” Kristin Nolan, vice president of the company’s outpatient services, said in a prepared statement.

She noted and the number of heroin overdose deaths climbed from seven in 2011 to 57 in 2014.

Spectrum will assist nearly 100 current clients in finding alternative treatment and counseling options throughout the state before closing its doors. A closing date has not been announced.

“We’re in the business of treating the disease of addiction,” said Spectrum President and CEO Charles Faris. “In Massachusetts, we’re seeing law enforcement helping addicts get into treatment. In Maine, Gov. (Paul) LePage is discussing calling in the National Guard to combat the state’s drug epidemic while leaving multi-million dollar grant opportunities for funding treatment on the table. As a not-for profit, we rely upon our partnerships in government; unfortunately, we feel the current administration lacks interest in supporting the evidenced-based solutions we provide.”

According to Spectrum, the latest reporting from the National Institute of Drug Abuse paints a picture of Maine being in the midst of an opioid epidemic.

According to the NIDA, “Nonmedical use and abuse of pharmaceuticals continues to rank first in indicator volume among deaths, arrests, impaired driver urinalysis toxicology, and treatment admissions.”

The Sanford treatment center represents Spectrum’s first outpatient facility outside Massachusetts and the first facility to provide medication assisted treatment in York County.

Look for more on this story in Tuesday’s Journal Tribune.

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 (local call in Sanford) or 282-1535, ext. 327 or [email protected].