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Sponsored| Name | Address | City |
|---|---|---|
| Cleveland Comprehensive Treatment Center | 8101 Euclid Ave Suite 21 | Cleveland |
| Community Medical Services Cleveland | 1127 Carnegie Avenue | Cleveland |
| Cleveland Clinic – Lutheran Hospital | 1730 West 25th Street | Cleveland |
| Department of Veterans Affairs Recovery Center (VARC) | 10701 East Boulevard | Cleveland |
| Community Action against Addiction | 5209 Euclid Avenue | Cleveland |
| Cleveland Comprehensive Treatment Center | 8101 Euclid Ave Suite 21 | Cleveland |
| CHC Addiction Services | 725 E Market St | Akron |
| Community Drug Board Inc | 725 East Market Street | Akron |
| New Season Mentor Treatment Center | 8785 Mentor Avenue | Mentor |
| Elyria Treatment Services | 174 Midway Blvd | Elyria |
| New Season Treatment Center – Akron | 1900 West Market Street Suite H | Akron |
| MedMark Treatment Centers Amherst | 530 N Leavitt Road | Amherst |
| MedMark Treatment Centers Kent | 2500 State Route 59 Suite 28 & 30 | Kent |
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Medication treatment for opioid use disorder in Cleveland
Cleveland sits at the center of one of Ohio’s hardest-hit areas for opioid overdose, and it also has some of the state’s most developed treatment and harm-reduction infrastructure. People here can reach both opioid treatment programs, the clinics that dispense methadone, and office-based providers who prescribe buprenorphine or naltrexone, often within Cuyahoga County. If you are looking for medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD), the listings above show providers serving the Cleveland area. You can call a program directly or use the helpline on this page to talk through your options and take a first step.
Your medication options and where each one comes from
Three medications are approved to treat opioid use disorder, and where you get each one differs. Methadone for opioid use disorder is dispensed only through a licensed opioid treatment program (OTP), not a regular pharmacy, so it involves going to a clinic, at least at first. Buprenorphine, including Suboxone and other buprenorphine-naloxone products and the extended-release monthly injection Sublocade, can be prescribed in a doctor’s office and filled at a pharmacy, or provided through a clinic. Naltrexone, including the monthly Vivitrol injection, can be prescribed by any licensed provider, but it starts only after you have been off opioids for a set time.
Those two settings, an opioid treatment program and office-based opioid treatment (OBOT), are what the listings above represent. Methadone works for many people who have not done well on other options, while buprenorphine can often be started and managed in an office, including by telehealth. There is no single right answer here; the medication and setting that fit are something you decide with a clinician. If you want to see how methadone and Suboxone compare before you call, or read more on how methadone treatment works, those guides walk through the differences.
Starting treatment: what the first visit looks like
The first step is usually an intake assessment, where a provider reviews your history, confirms the diagnosis, and talks through medication choices. Bring an ID and insurance information if you have them, but not having insurance does not stop you from being seen. If you have been using fentanyl, timing matters for buprenorphine: starting it too soon after your last use can trigger sudden, severe withdrawal (called precipitated withdrawal), so a clinician plans the first dose carefully with you. Some Cleveland-area programs offer same-day or walk-in assessment, and MetroHealth, the county’s public hospital system, has emergency departments that can start buprenorphine and connect people to ongoing care. For more on what treatment for opioid addiction involves or on starting methadone when fentanyl is involved, these pages go deeper.
Take-home doses, telehealth, and the current rules
Federal rules updated in 2024 expanded take-home methadone, up to a 28-day supply for patients who are stable in treatment, and take-home eligibility is decided by your program based on how you are doing. The same rules let treatment start by telehealth and allowed mobile medication units. For buprenorphine, telehealth flexibilities remain in effect through 2026, so you can usually start it through a video visit, and by phone in many cases, without coming in first; those rules are still being finalized, so confirm what is current with a provider. Methadone for opioid use disorder is still dispensed through an opioid treatment program, though some programs can begin treatment with a telehealth visit. If you are transferring in from another clinic or restarting after a gap, ask a program directly about guest dosing and how it handles staying steady on your dose during the move.
Paying for treatment in Cuyahoga County
Ohio’s Medicaid program covers all three opioid use disorder medications, methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone, and roughly 90 percent of Ohio Medicaid enrollees are served through managed care plans such as CareSource, Molina, and others. Ohio Medicaid removed prior-authorization requirements for these medications, which means fewer delays getting started (Ohio Department of Medicaid). If you have private insurance or Medicare, opioid treatment program services and office-based care are generally covered, though methadone coverage varies more on private plans. Many programs also offer self-pay or sliding-scale options. Cost is often the first worry, so ask each provider what it accepts before your visit.
The overdose picture, and why treatment access matters here
Cleveland has carried one of the highest overdose burdens in Ohio; among the state’s cities its drug-overdose death rate was second highest and roughly three times the national average in 2022 (Cuyahoga County Board of Health). The more recent trend points down. Fentanyl-related deaths in Cuyahoga County fell to 272 in 2024 from 469 in 2023, and the county medical examiner projected an overall drop of about 27 percent in overdose deaths for 2024, driven mainly by the decline in fentanyl deaths (Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office, 2025). Researchers at Case Western Reserve University attribute part of the decline to changes in the drug supply, wider naloxone distribution, and better access to treatment. Fentanyl still drives most local overdose deaths, and it now turns up in cocaine and pressed pills, so the risk reaches people who do not think of themselves as opioid users. Effective treatment is available across the Cleveland area, and it is a reason the numbers are moving. You can start with the providers listed above. For background on opioid use disorder and how it develops, see our overview.
Harm reduction and overdose safety in Cleveland
Naloxone, the medication that reverses an opioid overdose, is widely available in Cleveland and worth carrying if you or someone close to you uses opioids. Ohio lets pharmacists dispense naloxone without an individual prescription under a physician-approved protocol, so you can ask for it by name at pharmacies including Kroger and CVS. Locally, the Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services (ADAMHS) Board of Cuyahoga County funds free naloxone through vending machines and emergency naloxone cabinets around the county, and MetroHealth’s Office of Opioid Safety runs a Project DAWN mobile unit and a syringe service program that also distribute naloxone and fentanyl test strips. Circle Health Services, part of The Centers, operates a long-running syringe program in Cleveland as well. Ohio’s Good Samaritan law offers limited protection from minor drug-possession charges for people who call 911 during an overdose. A return to use is a common, manageable part of recovery, not a failure, and naloxone and a quick call for help keep people alive long enough to get back into care. See our guide to recognizing and responding to an overdose.
Pregnancy, the justice system, and other specific situations
Some people come to treatment under circumstances that need extra care. For pregnant patients, medication treatment with methadone or buprenorphine is the recommended standard, because untreated opioid use disorder carries greater risks than treatment does; a baby may still experience neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS), which care teams are prepared to manage. Fear of child-welfare involvement keeps some pregnant patients from seeking care, but treatment is what protects both parent and child, and Ohio uses Plan of Safe Care processes designed to support the family. In Cleveland, MetroHealth’s Mother and Child Dependency Program, supported by the Ohio Department of Behavioral Health, provides prenatal, addiction, and mental health care for pregnant women with substance use disorders, without judgment. People entering treatment through drug court, probation, or reentry from incarceration can ask programs whether they accept the referral and provide documentation. For families trying to help someone, our guide for families and our page on methadone and pregnancy cover what to expect.
Common questions about MOUD in Cleveland
Do I have to go to a clinic every day for methadone?
At first, methadone usually means daily visits to an opioid treatment program. As you stabilize, federal rules updated in 2024 allow take-home supplies of up to 28 days, and your program decides eligibility based on your progress. Buprenorphine, by contrast, is often managed with office visits and a pharmacy prescription rather than daily dosing.
Can I get treatment the same week I call?
Often, yes. Some Cleveland-area programs offer same-day or walk-in assessment, and MetroHealth emergency departments can start buprenorphine and link you to follow-up care. Availability varies by provider, so call the programs listed above to ask about the soonest intake.
What is the difference between methadone and Suboxone?
Both are effective, well-studied medications that reduce cravings and withdrawal. Methadone is a full opioid agonist dispensed through a clinic; Suboxone (buprenorphine-naloxone) is a partial agonist that can be prescribed in an office and filled at a pharmacy. You and a clinician decide which fits. Our methadone and Suboxone comparison lays out the trade-offs.
Will my insurance cover it?
Ohio Medicaid covers all three medications without prior authorization, and most private plans and Medicare cover opioid treatment program and office-based care, with methadone coverage more variable on private insurance. Ask each provider what it accepts and whether it offers sliding-scale fees.
Can I start buprenorphine by telehealth?
In most cases, yes. Telehealth flexibilities in effect through 2026 let providers start buprenorphine by video, and by phone in many situations, without a prior in-person visit. These rules are still being finalized, so confirm current options with the provider you choose.
Is it safe to stay on medication long term?
Yes. Long-term medication is legitimate, effective care for a chronic condition, not an unfinished step or a crutch. Many people stay on methadone or buprenorphine for years, and when and whether treatment ends is a decision to make with your clinician.
Page information and disclosures
Last reviewed July 2026.
Sources:
- Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office, overdose death data, 2024 to 2025.
- Cuyahoga County Board of Health, Overdose Data to Action surveillance bulletins, 2024 to 2025.
- Ohio Department of Medicaid, coverage of medications for opioid use disorder.
- Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services and Ohio Department of Health, Project DAWN.
- Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services (ADAMHS) Board of Cuyahoga County, harm-reduction resources.
- MetroHealth System, Office of Opioid Safety and Mother and Child Dependency Program.
- SAMHSA and DEA, federal MOUD regulations, including the 2024 revision of 42 CFR Part 8 and 2025 to 2026 telehealth rules.
- FDA, approved medications for opioid use disorder.
Methadone Centers is a treatment-discovery and education resource, not a medical provider. We do not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment; decisions about medication and care should be made with a licensed clinician.
The helpline featured on this page is operated by a sponsored treatment provider. Calls may be answered by an advertiser. Using it is not required, and the provider listings on this page are available to contact directly.