Methadone clinics offer methadone administration on-site. Other services offered by methadone clinics include supervision, monitoring, prescriptions, consultations, urine drug tests, naloxone delivery, mental health services, HIV/HCV services, and primary care.
Methadone clinics throughout the United States adhere to strict regulations set by federal and state laws. Patients must be provided with sufficient information before entering treatment. This information must include reasons for treatment, recommendations, side effects and risks, and rules to be followed in order to receive methadone therapy. The consent form must be signed by a physician to confirm that the patient has chosen to receive treatment. Treatment planning can then begin. To be eligible for treatment, the patient must prove that he/she is currently addicted to opioids using accepted medical criteria like those in DSM-5. Before treatment can be administered, a clinical assessment is needed. This will include questions about drug use, coexisting disorders, and the effects of substance use on your life. Also, information about the treatment goals. A medical evaluation also includes a urinalysis (a blood test), a review and analysis of past and ongoing health history, as well as a test to determine if certain conditions are prevalent in addicted populations. The prescription is made by a doctor and the medication is administered by nurses. New York State's requirements for admitting methadone patients to their clinics has changed since 2013. This is due to strict changes in the way prescription pain medications are received and the decrease in non-medical prescription usage.
There are approximately 1500 accredited opioid treatment programs that are federally licensed in the United States. There are generally two types, private and public, of methadone treatment centers. The public clinics tend to be more affordable. There is usually a wait list because of the limited funding. Private clinics are usually more expensive, but there is often a short waiting list. Many methadone clinics are not available in all parts of the United States. This poses problems for methadone addicts who live far from a clinic. California, Maryland New York, New Jersey and New York are the most concentrated areas of clinics. All methadone clinics need to register with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration and renew every year, or three years, depending on how long the accreditation was granted. Also, methadone clinics need to register with Drug Enforcement Administration before they can dispense methadone. This treatment is available to all ages, except for those under 18 years.
This medication can be prescribed for different purposes; talk to your pharmacist.
Methadone must be continued without interruption. Talk to your doctor. Your doctor might recommend that you gradually decrease your methadone dose. Withdrawal symptoms may include restlessness (teary eyes, runny nasal, yawning), sweating, headaches and muscle pain.