Root Center Opens First and Only Methadone Clinic in Middlesex County

March 1, 2024

The Root Center is proud to announce that we had a successful Grand Opening ceremony for our newest Healthcare Clinic, which is the first and only mental health and addiction treatment facility to offer methadone in Middlesex County.


The statistics regarding mental health and addiction treatment needs are staggering. Middlesex County had previously seen the highest year-over-year increase in overdose deaths, and yet, it was the only county in Connecticut with no methadone clinic, as it previously had bylaws in their planning and zoning regulations explicitly prohibiting methadone clinics within city limits. 

 

This new clinic will help change the face of recovery for residents in Middlesex County, giving them the option of seeking treatment in their own community, rather than having to travel, often lengthy distances, on public transit or rideshare services, 6 days a week as they begin treatment. Our goal at the Root Center is to be able to offer mental health and addiction treatment services across Connecticut, especially to those often most marginalized in our communities. We are striving to make treatment more inclusive and accessible for those in need, as we know one of the greatest predictors of treatment success is services close to home as it helps to facilitate sustained participation. 


We are honored to now have a state-of-the-art clinic that we hope will make our patients and staff feel dignified and proud when they walk into the building. With the help of Tecton Architects, we are redefining what it looks like to recover. We want to make sure that our healthcare facilities look no different than any other type of establishment that someone would go to to seek care.


This new clinic is located at 392 Washington Street in Middletown. We anticipate accepting patients at the end of March. Please call our Central Admissions to learn more at (800) 862-2181.


Special thanks to all of our state legislators, Middletown Mayor, Ben Florsheim, community members, and media partners for helping to make this a success. We know this new facility will go on to help the more than 150 patients we anticipate treating.


Check out the photos below of the clinic, and our Grand Opening celebration!

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button
  • Slide title

    From L to R:

    Margaux Farrell, Marketing Director

    Ashley Hickey, Director of Operations

    Steven Zuckerman, CEO/President

    Erin Keefe, Willimantic Clinic Sueprvisor

    Jenn Succi, CFO

    Button
  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button
  • Slide title

    Ashley Hickey, Director of Operations being interviewed by WTNH Ch8.

    Button
  • Slide title

    Dosing station

    Button
  • Slide title

    Conference room

    Button
  • Slide title


    Button
  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button
  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button
  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button
  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button
  • Slide title

    Middletown Mayor, Ben Florsheim

    Button
  • Slide title

    Root Center Patient, and Middletown Resident, Bill

    Button
  • Slide title

    A permanent fixture in our new clinic dedicated to State Representative, Quentin "Q" Williams for service to Middletown. He is greatly missed but never forgotten. 

    Button
  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button


We would also like to extend a huge THANK YOU to United States Senator Chris Murphy for his proclamation that he shared with us for this special day. Having the support of one of Senator Murphy is invaluable!



Thank you to our media partners for attending our Grand Opening, and sharing the news!


Watch WTNH CH8's report below, and read the article here.


Thank you also to NBC CT,  you can watch below, and read more here.

Recent Posts

January 8, 2026
It is time for our first Community Forum of 2026. On January 13th at 6 p.m, we will be hosting a panel of experts at 335 Broad Street in Manchester to discuss the impacts of social media on mental health. "Scrolled Out: Social Media and the State of Our Minds" is sure to spark insightful conversations about our digital age, and tickets will be available for in-person or virtual participation. Go here to get your tickets. Panelists include: John Murphy: UConn Digital Media & Design Professor and Digital Health Advocate Paul Weigle, Associate Medical Director for Natchaug Hospital, a Hartford HealthCare Behavioral Health Network partner, at UConn Medical School Keith McGilvery, Good News Guy and Journalist Micheal Shelby, LPC, Founder and Director of Technology Addiction Center, LLC, and Plan Be Counseling, LLC Aly Fox, Root Center Clinic Supervisor State Representative Gary Turco
January 6, 2026
Calling all Artists! Root Center is pleased to present New Beginnings, an art exhibition celebrating recovery, hope, and renewal on the eve of the vernal equinox. On March 19th , Root Center will host this juried art show at our Branford location , featuring work by local artists exploring the theme of new beginnings. Much like recovery itself, the exhibition reflects the possibility of change, growth, and redefinition. The selected works invite viewers to consider what it means to start again—whether through healing, self-discovery, or the quiet courage it takes to move forward. Timed with the return of spring, New Beginnings honors transformation as both a personal and collective experience . Artists are encouraged to interpret new beginnings broadly. Location: Stony Creek Medical Center, 6-12 Business Park Drive, Branford, CT 06405 Submission: Please submit all pieces for consideration via email to margaux.farrell@rootcenter.org by FEBRUARY 16, 2026 . All submissions will be responded to by February 20th. Special thanks to Alex Ranniello , MA for your collaboration on this exciting project!
October 1, 2025
Summer seemingly flew by for us here at the Root Center. From events to new projects, we were busy!  Since our last newsletter, we welcomed a new cohort of Fall Semester interns, spruced up our Weston Street facilities, and had our annual Overdose Awareness Day Event, among so much more! We just successfully held our first ever Root center Charity Golf Tournament to benefit St. Vincent de Paul Middletown at Lyman Orchards Golf Club, and we were able to donate $25,000 to help them continue to do amazing work for our communities! Keep reading for more details and exciting updates!
Show More