Opioid Treatment and MAT in Scranton, PA

Opioid use disorder is treatable, and the treatment that works best — medication — is available in and around Scranton. Methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone all ease withdrawal and craving and lower the risk of dying from an overdose. The barrier is usually finding an opening and confirming what your plan covers, not whether the treatment exists. This page maps the local options and the fastest ways to reach them.

How opioids are affecting Lackawanna County

CDC's provisional county-level data count 48 drug overdose deaths in Lackawanna County in the 12 months ending December 2025, down from 55 the year before. Statewide, the Pennsylvania Department of Health's 2024 overdose brief reports 3,341 drug overdose deaths in 2024, a 29.2% decrease from 2023.

The supply, though, has not gotten safer. Xylazine — a veterinary sedative known on the street as "tranq" — has been mixed into the fentanyl supply across the state:

• Pennsylvania's Department of Health found xylazine contributed to the cause of death in 790 of 3,271 overdose deaths in 2024 (24.2%).
• Pennsylvania classified xylazine as a Schedule III controlled substance in May 2024.
• Xylazine deepens sedation and can cause severe, necrotic skin wounds, and naloxone does not reverse it — but naloxone still reverses the opioid usually present, which is why you give it and call 911 anyway.

Medication for opioid use disorder near Scranton

Medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD), also called medication-assisted treatment, uses one of three FDA-approved medications alongside counseling. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse:

• Methadone is a full opioid agonist that relieves withdrawal and cravings. It is dispensed through federally certified opioid treatment programs.
• Buprenorphine is a partial agonist that reduces cravings and withdrawal, and can be prescribed in a doctor's office or by telehealth in many cases.
• Naltrexone blocks opioid receptors so opioids no longer produce a high. It can be started only after opioids have cleared the body.

Within 30 miles of Scranton, the SAMHSA locator lists:

• 3 federally certified opioid treatment programs
• 21 facilities that prescribe buprenorphine
• 17 facilities that prescribe naltrexone
• 3 facilities that dispense methadone

Publicly funded assessment and referral run through the Lackawanna and Susquehanna County Office of Drug and Alcohol Programs at 570-963-6820, which serves as the single county authority for the two counties. Confirm current openings on FindTreatment.gov or by phone.

Naloxone: get it before you need it

Naloxone (Narcan) reverses an opioid overdose. Pennsylvania pharmacies can dispense it without a prescription, and the Lackawanna Recovery Coalition runs a free Narcan distribution program and shares local recovery resources. If you use opioids or live with someone who does, keeping naloxone on hand — and telling the people around you where it is — is one of the most concrete safety steps available.

Paying for opioid treatment in Scranton

Pennsylvania expanded Medicaid, and Medical Assistance covers medication for opioid use disorder as medically necessary treatment. Physical HealthChoices plans in the Northeast region include AmeriHealth Caritas Northeast, Geisinger Health Plan, Jefferson Health Plans EverWell, and UPMC for You. For Medicaid members in Lackawanna County, behavioral health and drug and alcohol benefits are managed by Community Care Behavioral Health (member services: 1-866-668-4696; 24/7 crisis: 1-833-822-3010). The statewide PA Get Help Now line, 1-800-662-4357, can help you navigate county-funded options.

How to start today

1. If this is a medical emergency, call 911 and give naloxone if you have it. For a crisis, call or text 988, or reach the Scranton Counseling Center crisis line at 570-348-6100.
2. Call or text (800) 653-9376 to talk through medication options with a treatment specialist, or use this form:

Calling is free; the referral service is paid for by treatment providers, and we check your benefits before you commit.

3. Search findtreatment.gov with a Scranton ZIP code and filter for opioid treatment programs or buprenorphine.
4. Ask each program two questions: "Do you prescribe or dispense medication?" and "What do you need from my insurance?" Those two answers decide your next step.

Medication for opioid use disorder is one of the most effective tools in medicine. The gap is access, not evidence — and around Scranton, the access exists.

Frequently asked questions