Residents from a neighborhood in New Haven will hold a rally on Saturday to stop a state-run methadone clinic from moving into the area.
APT is a city-based health foundation. It plans to move its headquarters to a building that was home to the Achievement First Elm City College Preparatory on Dixwell Avenue. It will provide recovery services for people struggling with substance use disorders and other illnesses.
Kim Harris is a resident of the Newhallville section of New Haven. She has joined with other community members to form what is called the “Stop the APT Foundation” campaign.
Harris said the clinic will add to the frustrations of residents who are also dealing with those problems.
“The community is really fearful of the impact of what it's going to have on our community,” Harris said. “We recognize and we know that there is a place and a space for facilities like the APT Foundation. It’s just not in a residential area like this.”
Harris said the community has the support of New Haven officials as well as Hamden Mayor Lauren Garrett.
In a telephone message, APT CEO Lynn Madden called the planned protest unfortunate along with a lot of negative assumptions about the impact the facility would have.
