Fulton Methadone Clinics & Medication Assisted Treatment Near Fulton County, GA

Name rehabs Address Phone
Georgia Therapy Associates Inc Atlanta 2797 Campbellton Road SW Suite C-3 Atlanta, GA 30311
New Day Treatment Center2563 Martin Luther King Jr Drive, Atlanta, GA 30311(404) 699-7774
North Fulton Treatment Center The Renaissance Recovery Group Inc601 Bombay Lane, Roswell, GA 30076(770) 754-4674
Northside Hospital Substance Abuse Ctr Northside Recovery Center1140 Hammond Drive Suite J-1075 Atlanta, GA 30328(404) 851-8960
Southside Behavioral Life Style Enrichment Center (SBLEC) 2685 Metropolitan Parkway Suite C Atlanta, GA 30315
Southside Medical Center2685 Metropolitan Parkway, Suite C, Atlanta, GA 30315(404) 627-1385x7056
Southside Medical Center Substance Abuse Unit1039 Ridge Avenue SW Atlanta, GA 30315(404) 564-6800
Talbott Recovery Campus5448 Yorktowne Drive Atlanta, GA 30349(800) 445-4232
Tangu Inc159 Forsyth Street SW Atlanta, GA 30303(404) 523-4599

Fulton adheres to strict federal and state regulations regarding methadone clinics, outlined by the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Typical certification procedures cover aspects such as licensing, regular compliance inspections, personnel qualifications, dispensing protocols, inventory controls, security standards, and patient limits.

Clinics provide medication-assisted treatment using methadone, an opioid agonist medication that reduces cravings and blocks euphoric effects of other opioids. This allows people struggling with opioid addiction to regain stability and function while managing their recovery. Clinics dispense daily methadone doses under medical supervision along with counseling.

Insurance Coverage

Fulton has limited Grant-funded methadone clinics offering free or affordable treatment based on financial hardship and lack of health insurance. More typical coverage options include:

  • Medicaid: Georgia Medicaid programs cover treatment costs, counseling, care coordination, and tests for eligible members subject to restrictions.
  • Private Insurance: Some plans may cover portions subjected to deductibles, copays, prior authorization, exclusions based on the plan details. Coverage varies significantly.

Drug Use in Fulton

Georgia declared the opioid crisis a public health emergency in 2017. While overdose deaths have declined slightly lately, fentanyl poses growing concerns in Fulton as it emerges in more cases. Cocaine and methamphetamine are also major issues.

Addiction Treatment Overview

Inpatient Treatment

Inpatient facilities offer 24/7 supervised addiction care typically for 30-90 days. Services include counseling, therapy, case management, medical care, job training, and discharge planning.

Outpatient Treatment

Outpatient provides therapy and support services for several hours at a time while living at home. Frequency starts higher then tapers down over time for continuing care needs.

Treatment Level Unreported

An estimated 30-50% battling addiction access some form of treatment not reflected in Fulton data through private doctors, community health centers, peer support groups, etc.

Comparison of Treatment in Fulton vs. Neighboring Major City

Category Atlanta, GA Athens, GA
Treatment Facilities 215 35
Inpatient Beds 3,500 400
Cost of Treatment $7,500/month $5,000/month

Methadone Treatment

What is Methadone

Methadone is an opioid agonist medication used in medication-assisted treatment (MAT) since 1947. As part of certified opioid treatment programs (OTPs), it activates receptors enough to prevent withdrawals and reduce cravings without inducing a strong euphoric high. Views remain mixed on methadone treatment, though it serves to medically stabilize recovery by substituting controlled dosing for risky illicit opioid use. Simply put, methadone provides therapeutic opioid effects to aid addiction treatment efforts.

Methadone Distribution

The Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities closely governs methadone distribution operations including:

  1. Requiring at least 8 patient urine tests in the first year of treatment.
  2. Limiting initial take-home methadone supplies to 24 hours.
  3. Mandating OTPs utilize interprofessional teams overseeing dosing and patient care decisions.
  4. Having clinicians cross-check the Georgia Prescription Drug Monitoring Program to inform proper methadone dosage adjustments considering its narrow therapeutic index.

Georgia categorizes methadone as a Schedule II controlled substance, indicating balance of sanctioned medical use against potential for abuse.

Methadone Treatment Effectiveness Research

Extensive evidence confirms methadone successfully reduces opioid misuse based on 33% fewer positive drug tests, boosts retention over 4 times higher, and mitigates overdose, HIV, hepatitis C, and criminal risks by stabilizing patients in care. However, risks include diversion potential due to its controlled status, stopping abruptly causes severe withdrawal sickness, mixing sedatives increases overdose dangers, while cardiac issues rarely occur. Research deems methadone equally effective as buprenorphine for decreasing illicit opioid use when properly managed. In summary, methadone provides benefits yet requires vigilant oversight given associated risks.

About Fulton

Fulton County is located in north-central Georgia, bordered by Cherokee, Forsyth, Gwinnett, DeKalb, Clayton, Fayette, Coweta, Carroll, Douglas, and Cobb counties. Its county seat and largest city is Atlanta, which also serves as the state capital. Fulton County spans 534 square miles. Major infrastructure includes Interstates 20, 75, 85, and 285 along with the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

Population Statistics

The estimated total population of Fulton County equals around 1.1 million residents as of recent estimates, making it the most populous county in Georgia.

Demographics indicate:

Gender: 52% female, 48% male

Age: 79% over 18 years old

  • 21% under 18
  • 12% over age 65

Occupations:

  • 50% management, business, science & arts
  • 20% service industry
  • 15% sales and office administration
  • 8% production, transportation
  • 5% education, healthcare
  • 2% maintenance, construction