NEATS

I left the hospital that I was working at about eight months ago to find my true calling as a nurse. Don't get me wrong, I loved the hospital, and who's to say that I won't end up back there at some point before retirement. But at this point in my career, I want to do something that sits close to my heart.

After job hunting for a month, I stumbled across an ad on Craigslist. The ad was searching for several nurses and medical assistants to work at a new clinic that is designed to treat people with opiate addictions.

I know, I know. Craigslist. It has a bad rep. Everyone has seen the Lifetime movie about the "Craigslist Killer." I could have been drawn in, raped, killed, and then feed to a group of motorcycle riding cannibalists. But, being the strong minded individual that I am, I responded to the ad.

I waited about two weeks and thought that it must have been a scam, and that I would never hear from these people. The next day, I got a phone call from the man who owns the clinic. He asked me if I had time to chat about who they are and what they do. I said yes, and learned later on in the conversation that I'm being asked to interview for this job.

I felt that my interview went great, but I didn't receive a phone call for about a week.

I was getting my hair cut and highlighted when I got the call asking me to join their team. I was stoked! My husband even took me out for sushi to celebrate.

I have been to several meetings, training events, and have even taken two trips to their other clinic in Texarkana, Arkansas for training and observation. I love the people that I am going to be working with. We are going to make a great team!

It has been a long wait for this job to start up, but we're just days away from opening!

The company that I work for is Northeast Arkansas Treatment Services! (NEATS)

We provide outpatient treatment services in Jonesboro, Arkansas for persons addicted to the opioid class of drugs, including prescription pain medications and heroin.

If you have read some of my other posts, you may remember that my mother died from an opiate overdose in 2000. I believe that a clinic, such as this one, could have helped her a great deal. This is another reason that this job means so much to me. My heart is in this job, and I cannot wait to see the way that we change and impact these people’s lives.

Services We Provide:

• Prescribing, administering and dispensing methadone, buprenorphine and other medications
• Individual and/or group counseling sessions
• Psycho-educational sessions
• Family sessions
• Targeted medical evaluation and assessment
• Referrals
• Case management and other support services

Our Mission:

The mission of Northeast Arkansas Treatment Services is to provide the highest quality medication-assisted treatment to persons who are addicted to opiates and to do so in a supportive environment that always respects the dignity and self-worth of those people we serve.

Our vision is to be recognized as a premier provider of ethical and effective treatment services that result in optimal outcomes for those people we serve.

Our treatment philosophy is based on the understanding that opiate addiction is a primary disorder that can be treated successfully with medication, counseling, and supportive services and that quality treatment can help people resume productive and meaningful lifestyles.

For more information, ways to contact, and eligibility criteria, please visit our WEBSITE!