What Is NAMA?

NAMA is an organization of methadone patients, healthcare professionals, friends, and associates working together for greater public understanding and acceptance of methadone treatment.

Promoting
quality methadone maintenance treatment as the most effective modality for the treatment of opiate dependence.

NAMA's Goals

• To eliminate discrimination toward methadone patients
• To create a more positive image about methadone maintenance treatment
• To help preserve patients' dignity and their rights
• To make treatment available on demand to every person who needs it
• To empower methadone patients with a strong public voice

Struggling
to destigmatize the treatment which has given us back our lives.

At NAMA, we'd like people to focus on the success stories of methadone: patients who became successful lawyers or construction workers, patients who rebuilt their families and are now productive members of society.  There are thousands of us.

What We Are NOT!

Working
to dispel the ignorance regarding MMT which plagues
both treatment professionals and the general public.

NAMA is not an organization of apologists for what passes for methadone maintenance treatment in the United States today. Most MMT programs do not even come close to practicing the treatment modality created by Drs Dole and Nyswander three decades ago, and even the best programs are severely hampered by senseless regulation and by the presence of staff oriented towards non-medical modalities. NAMA believes that only through education can methadone maintenance treatment fulfill its promise and again become the most effective, progressive, and humane treatment for opioid dependence.

Since its beginning over thirty years ago, methadone maintenance has proven to be the most effective treatment for opiate addiction, resulting in the termination of both drug use and criminal behavior. In spite of this success, methadone maintenance is often disparaged as a "substitute drug" by those who ignore the positive benefits it has brought to society. The media tends to focus on the negatives of methadone and none of the success stories.

These negative attitudes impair the effectiveness of methadone maintenance programs. Patients are mistreated, misinformed and stigmatized. They are victims of discrimination in health care, the job market, education, insurance, and housing. Even treatment professionals feel ashamed to admit they work in this field.

Fighting
discrimination perpetrated against methadone maintenance patients.

Changing People's Views With Education and Advocacy NAMA will:

• Speak publicly about the productive lives led by methadone patients
• Establish contact with elected and appointed officials
• Attend community meetings
• Prepare and distribute educational material
• Participate in media interviews
• Create a unified voice to reach the public on all issues of concern to methadone patients

In addition to fighting the negative image and low self-esteem of methadone patients, NAMA provides practical assistance in the everyday concerns of patients and treatment professionals.

Drug Treatment

Some methadone treatment programs have become huge, cumbersome bureaucracies. The policies of various agencies often conflict with one another, leaving the patient frustrated and discouraged. NAMA helps promote improved program services, development of new approaches, and increased patient participation in treatment.

Treatment on Demand

Opiate addicts seeking help are daily denied treatment and forced back to the streets because of long waiting lists at clinics. NAMA can push for immediate expansion of treatment and provide referral assistance to those who need help getting into a program.

Education of Methadone Patients

In many programs, the fundamentals of methadone treatment and addiction are not even explained to patients. As a result, many believe dangerous folklore about methadone such as "it gets in your bones" or "it rots your teeth". NAMA remedies this situation with workshops, meetings, the media and other methods.

Some treatment professionals lack an understanding of the pharmacology of addiction and how this relates to rehabilitation. NAMA promotes an improved addiction treatment curriculum in institutions of higher learning.

AIDS and Hepatitis

At present, there is very little information or assistance provided for methadone patients who are HIV+ or HCV+. And very little information on preventative healthcare for non-HIV/HCV patients. NAMA helps supplement existing Infectious Disease Education Programs.

Discrimination

Discrimination is a major obstacle for anyone who has ever used drugs. While some legislation has been enacted which protects former addicts and methadone patients, there still remain many areas where methadone patients are not protected. NAMA works to inform methadone patients of their rights and to provide support to those who have been victims of discrimination.

National Alliance of Methadone Advocates
435 Second Avenue
New York,NY   10010
Phone/Fax: (212) 595-NAMA (6262)