Philadelphia launches first mobile methadone van for addiction treatment

Philadelphia has launched its first mobile methadone van to expand addiction treatment access for vulnerable residents in the Kensington neighborhood. Operated by Merakey, the mobile unit allows individuals to receive a health exam, addiction treatment consultation, and their first dose of methadone in less than an hour.

This initiative aims to provide low-barrier stabilization for opioid use disorder while connecting patients to essential services such as housing, food, and wound care. The goal is to eventually transition participants into long-term outpatient counseling and treatment programs.

While methadone is a highly regulated Schedule II controlled substance, 2021 federal rule changes by the DEA now allow providers to dispense the medication from mobile units at remote locations. The Merakey program is among the first of its kind in Pennsylvania.