A substance abuse treatment and assessment program now offers walk-in assessments in Slatington.

On Friday, Confront, a Division of Treatment Trends Inc., began providing the walk-in assessments at St. John’s Lutheran Church, 40 S. Second St.

Rachel Kelly, program director of Confront, said assessments will be from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the first and third Friday of each month.

“We offer assessments in Allentown currently, where clients are able to walk in get some treatment, get some help,” Kelly said.

“We’re looking to offer that in the Slatington area because they don’t have a lot of transportation, so it’s really difficult for clients to come out and get an assessment to get into treatment.”

Kelly said clients would have to arrive for their assessments by no later than 11:30 a.m. Walk-ins are from 9-11:30 a.m.

“We will have an assessor and a certified recovery specialist waiting there,” she said. “When they come in, they’ll meet with the assessor who will determine the level of care, and a certified recovery specialist will be in the room for somebody to talk to.”

Kelly said Confront is able to see people who do not have insurance, though they need to be Lehigh County residents and possess identification, or anyone that has Medical Assistance through Lehigh and Northampton counties.

She said they currently do not contract with any private insurance companies.

Kelly said she believes branching out to the Slatington area will have a profound impact.

“I think it’s going to help people get more into treatment,” she said. “There’s really nothing over in that area; some people just don’t have that opportunity to get help because they don’t know how they’re going to get there.”

Kelly said there is a vital need for the assessment program.

“There’s definitely an epidemic going around right now that we’re trying to help as much as we can to get the community the help that they need,” she said.

For more information, call 610-433-0148.