BATON ROUGE – A Louisiana-based outpatient addiction treatment clinic is expanding its services as the region deals with a surge in opioid addictions and overdoses.

Lake Wellness Center, a Lafayette treatment facility, opened clinics in Baton Rouge, the New Orleans area, Houma and Lake Charles. In all, seven centers opened recently.

“We appreciate that the opioid crisis has created dialogue that brings the necessity for addiction treatment to the forefront.  Using a medical model, we treat the biological disease of addiction and allow people to get well without having to leave their families or their jobs. Patients need an accessible solution like Lake Wellness Center and the entire focus is getting our patients better and making their lives something they can appreciate once again," said Leonard Franques, Lake Wellness Center Founding Partner.

The Baton Rouge location is at 7434 Picardy Ave.

Area lawmakers, medical officials and police have discussed the disturbing and deadly opioid trend.  Area law enforcement and first responders even carry a counter-acting drug to fight an overdose in a patient at the scene of an emergency.