Northern Nevada HOPES has launched its new Department of Addiction Medicine to address substance use disorders in the region. The nonprofit said the goal is to expand access to care and reduce overdose deaths in Northern Nevada.
HOPES has long provided primary care and behavioral health services, but the new department brings those efforts together under one roof, with a dedicated focus on addiction treatment.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that more than 80,000 people nationwide died from drug overdoses in 2024, emphasizing what HOPES leaders say is an urgent need for expanded local treatment.
Dr. Taylor Tomlinson, director of the Department of Addiction Medicine, said the goal is to provide a full range of care.
“Substance use disorders are chronic diseases. They do better with treatment, just as when we treat patients with diabetes or hypertension,” Tomlinson said. “Understanding that substance use disorders are not moral failings, they have a medical illness that really responds to treatment.”
As part of its efforts, HOPES is partnering with the University of Nevada, Reno’s Addiction Medicine Fellowship to train new physicians in evidence-based care.
Looking ahead, Tomlinson said the department will work to lower barriers to treatment, reduce overdose deaths, and provide patients with more options to meet their health goals.
