WORCESTER, Mass. — Access. It's the one word which single-handedly led Spectrum Health Systems to open a new outpatient treatment center in Worcester's Main South.

"A lot of our patients are already from this neighborhood," site manager Alexa Burnham said. "They've been having to travel all the way over to our Lincoln Street site by bus, public transportation, walking sometimes."

"This area in particular, we felt that we needed to be closer to the community," Dahiana Rodriguez, the site's program manager, said. "That's why moving to this location, its been a big issue, big thing for us."

The center is the former American Legion Post at 1023 Main Street. 

"A patient would come up here. They give their ID to the nurse. The nurse will pour the methadone and just hand it through this window," Burnham said while giving a demonstration. "And then they'll get a little bit of water."

The treatment center was initially met with pushback from members of the neighborhood, with safety being a top priority. Burnham says they've communicated loud and clear to city leaders and residents that they're taking precautions.

"We have strict rules and program guidelines," Burnham said. "We have security on site. We definitely address behavioral issues in the neighborhood and we always want to be a good neighbor."

The center also looks to provide additional counseling resources. Despite the number of overall deaths in Massachusetts falling in 2023, Burnham says a center like this is a small, but important piece of the puzzle.

"With the opioid crisis, especially fentanyl use and stronger opioids that are coming out all the time, there's always a bigger need for more treatment," Burnham said.

As of Friday evening, Spectrum Health Systems will no longer be operating out of their Pleasant and Merrick Street locations. This location on Main Street will begin business on Monday morning.