Methadone Clinics in New Orleans

Rules and Regulations

New Orleans, Orleans County, Louisiana, United States adheres to strict regulations regarding methadone clinics, outlined by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

Certification Procedures

Methadone clinics must adhere to federal and state regulations to receive and maintain SAMHSA certification. Certification procedures evaluate clinic capacity, staff credentials, treatment plans, and more.

Benefits of Medication-Assisted Treatment

Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) with methadone helps individuals recovering from opioid addiction by:

• Reducing opioid cravings and withdrawal symptoms
• Supporting long-term recovery
• Lowering the risk of overdose

How Clinics Operate

Certified methadone clinics provide supervised methadone dosing, counseling, drug testing, and case management to support patients in recovery from opioid addiction.

Insurance Coverage

Many insurance plans cover methadone treatment services. Medicaid and Medicare also cover methadone clinics for eligible patients. Some clinics offer treatment on a sliding fee scale based on income for uninsured patients.

Drug Use in New Orleans

The opioid crisis has been declared a nationwide public health emergency. Louisiana has seen significant impacts from this crisis.

• In 2017, there were 1,597 drug overdose deaths in Louisiana, a rate of 34.3 per 100,000 persons. This is higher than the national average.
• The drugs most commonly involved in overdose deaths in Louisiana are opioids, including prescription opioids and heroin.

Addiction Treatment Overview

Inpatient Treatment

The typical length of stay is 28 days. Treatment involves medically managed detoxification, counseling, group therapy, life skills training, and aftercare planning.

Outpatient Treatment

Provided 2-3 times per week for several hours per visit. Can involve counseling, therapy, medication management, and recovery support groups. Offered in clinics, community health centers, and private practices.

Treatment Level Unreported

An estimated 10-20% of those with a substance use disorder do not report the level of care received. Barriers to reporting include cost, availability, Waitlists, and social stigma.

Comparison of Treatment Availability

Methadone Treatment

What is Methadone

Methadone is a long-acting opioid agonist medication used to treat opioid use disorder and dependence. As medication-assisted treatment (MAT), methadone helps prevent opioid withdrawal and reduces drug cravings by activating opioid receptors in the brain, similar to other opioid drugs. Opioid treatment programs (OTPs) provide methadone doses daily for patients to take orally under supervision.

Societal perspectives on methadone treatment are mixed, with some seeing it as merely replacing one addiction with another, while others recognize its medical value in treating a complex neurobiological disease. Properly understood, methadone stabilizes patients, allowing them to function normally and responsibly in society.

Methadone Distribution

OTPs providing methadone treatment are closely regulated, including:

• Urine testing: Methadone maintenance patients must undergo at least eight random drug tests in the first year of treatment to detect any unauthorized drug use.
• Take-home requirements: During the first 14 days of methadone treatment, the take-home supply is limited to a single daily dose taken under supervision at the clinic. After 2 years of compliant treatment, patients may qualify for a 1-month supply.
• Monitoring: Methadone treatment programs should have an interprofessional team including counselors and social workers to provide psychosocial support.
• Prescription drug monitoring: Clinicians should review PDMP data to carefully cross-reference other opioid medications and dosages, as methadone has a narrow therapeutic window.

In New Orleans and statewide, methadone is a Schedule II controlled prescription drug, indicating accepted medical use but also potential for abuse.

Methadone Treatment Effectiveness Research

Methadone is an effective medication for treating opioid use disorder that has been used since 1947.

Studies show methadone treatment:

• Reduces opioid-positive drug tests by 33%
• Increases treatment retention 4.44 times
• Lowers overdose death rates
• Reduces disease transmission
• Increases employment

However, methadone does carry risks:

• Potential for misuse/diversion
• Severe withdrawal if stopped suddenly
• QTc prolongation/cardiac issues
• Respiratory depression/overdose when combined with other substances

Methadone and buprenorphine are equally effective in reducing illicit opioid use.

In conclusion, methadone provides substantial benefits but also significant risks requiring careful management.

About New Orleans

Location, County & List of Neighboring States

New Orleans is located in Orleans County in the U.S. state of Louisiana. Louisiana borders Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, and the Gulf of Mexico.

Capital and Largest City

Baton Rouge is the capital of Louisiana, while New Orleans is the largest city in the state.

Land Area

The total land area of New Orleans is 169.42 square miles.

Population Statistics

Total population

As of the 2020 census, the population of New Orleans was 384,320.

Demographics:

Gender

• Male: 47.3%
• Female: 52.7%

Age Brackets

• Under 18 years: 20.4%
• 18 to 64 years: 67.3%
• 65 years and over: 12.3%

Occupations

Top occupations in New Orleans:

• Education, healthcare & social assistance: 24.9%
• Arts, entertainment, recreation & accommodation & food services: 13.2%
• Professional, scientific & management: 12.3%
• Retail trade: 11.7%
• Construction: 5.9%