call us! 253-200-0300
24 Hour
Referral Line:
1-253-200-0300
NWIH provides methadone at the following clinics:
Vivitrol Copay Assistance & Providers
Washington Recovery Hotline: 1-866-789-1511
Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration
(SAMHSA)
For people experiencing SUD on opioids, there is hope!
At NWIH, steps to recovery begin as soon as a patient decides to speak to one of our staff. Following the ASAM (American Society of Addiction Medicine) guidelines, our adept providers customize a treatment plan just for you. Initiation involves transitioning from your substance to a (MAT) Medication Assisted Treatment with daily monitoring. Recovery involves periodic checkups of your physical, mental, and social health through counseling.
It’s a journey and we go along with you.
I am a physician assistant at NWIH. Almost 20 years ago, when I began working as a physician assistant (PA), PAs mainly worked in underserved geographic areas. I found that Substance Use Disorder was unlimited in its geographic range and that people with these disorders were the most underserved population of any progressive illness. This, along with an innate desire to help, is why I chose to work in addiction medicine. I evaluate new and current clients, adjusting each patient’s treatment plan in collaboration with the patient.
A lot of my patients are discriminated against by family, friends, the legal system, employers, housing, and the healthcare system. The mistreatment which people with Substance Use Disorder (SUD) face can have SUD patients believing that they themselves are evil or broken.
I teach all of my patients that there is nothing morally or spiritually wrong with them, that they have a biochemical disease, and that they need to ask for help. When patients follow my advice and ask for help, I know that they are ready to recover. Then, I give each patient all the advice I can at every step of their journey.
Joseph Ference
Physician Assistant
I am a physician assistant at NWIH. Almost 20 years ago, when I began working as a physician assistant (PA), PAs mainly worked in underserved geographic areas. I found that Substance Use Disorder was unlimited in its geographic range and that people with these disorders were the most underserved population of any progressive illness. This, along with an innate desire to help, is why I chose to work in addiction medicine. I evaluate new and current clients, adjusting each patient’s treatment plan in collaboration with the patient.
A lot of my patients are discriminated against by family, friends, the legal system, employers, housing, and the healthcare system. The mistreatment which people with Substance Use Disorder (SUD) face can have SUD patients believing that they themselves are evil or broken.
I teach all of my patients that there is nothing morally or spiritually wrong with them, that they have a biochemical disease, and that they need to ask for help. When patients follow my advice and ask for help, I know that they are ready to recover. Then, I give each patient all the advice I can at every step of their journey.
Joseph Ference
Physician Assistant
When you come here to NWIH, and go to the groups, and see all the people around you who are there for support, it can be really reassuring to know that you’re not alone. And when patients feel that support and they see the community that’s available to them, I've seen plenty of patients feel really relieved, and they can keep moving forward in their journey.
Kelsey Khaw
PA-C MPAS
At first I was hesitant to do the shot. I wanted to do the sub’s. The doctor “Khan” said the shot would be better so I trusted him and went for the Vivitrol treatment. The hardest part was the 7 day withdrawal before the shot. Dr. Khan gave me some medication to help with the withdrawals which helped but it was still really hard. I got to the point where I couldn’t wait to get the shot so I could finally start this recovery process. I’ve only been on the shot for one month and what a huge difference it made! Before I couldn’t control or stop myself from going and getting high. The addiction controlled me. Now after the shot, I can control the desire to go get high and the desire to get high is less and less everyday. This shot gave me the biggest tool to finally say no! I think about my addiction less and less and more about my future and what I want out of it. This shot saved my life and brought me back into reality.
Thank you Dr. Khan, you are amazing!
M.L.R.
Patient
I remember a father who came to NWIH. He had been desperately seeking an addiction specialist for his 16 year-old son. He took his son to many treatment places but no provider knew how to treat that patient. We took on that case and successfully treated him. The first thing he asked for was food when he felt well again. His father was so happy. He has finished high school now. That case motivated me to pursue addiction medicine. I want to be that provider who patients would seek out for treatment regardless of the distance needed to travel, and NWIH would be the place they would come to.
Thanh Nguyen
Physician Assistant
The days when I was emotional and crying, they were there to put a hand on my shoulder and say, hey, you’re alright, you’re gonna get through it, here’s a tissue, c’mon dry it up. that’s what’s needed in some of these programs, those moments to acknowledge the feeling, to accept the feeling, and to move on from the feeling, and to have a person next to you, especially clinal staff where they’re not just pushing you aside. That’s what keeps you engaged with the program, that’s what helps you get here on days when its sunny out and you don’t feel like coming. ‘Cause you wanna see the staff who held you up.
Patient
Voice of hope
Honestly, like they are really nice people here. They're with you every step of the way.
Patient
Voice of hope
What keeps me coming is you know the bottom line, they saved my life.
Patient
Voice of hope
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NWIH does not deny services based on inability. Discounts are available based on family size and income. A discounted/sliding fee schedule is available to all our patients.
We accept the following insurances:
Aetna, Amerigroup, Cigna, Coordinated Care, First Choice Health, Molina Healthcare, Optum, Premera, Regence, Washington Apple Health
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