Methadone Clinics in La Place

Name rehabsAddressPhone
Choices of Louisiana Inc128 Woodland Drive La Place, LA 70068(985) 651-3777

Rules and Regulations

La Place, St. John the Baptist 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

  • Clinics must be certified by SAMHSA
  • Clinics must register with the DEA to dispense methadone
  • Patients must meet eligibility criteria for treatment

To be certified, clinics must:

  • Meet staff credential requirements
  • Follow treatment protocols and quality assurance plans
  • Maintain patient records
  • Have diversion control plans

Benefits of Medication-Assisted Treatment

Medication-assisted treatment with methadone can:

  • Reduce opioid cravings and withdrawal symptoms
  • Allow people to focus on their health and life goals
  • Lower the risk of overdose death

How clinics operate and their purpose:

  • Methadone clinics provide daily supervised methadone dosing and counseling to those with an opioid use disorder. This allows patients to function normally without the negative effects of their disorder.

Insurance Coverage

  • Medicaid covers methadone treatment
  • Some private insurers cover treatment
  • Grants help fund low-cost and free clinics

Drug Use in La Place

In 2017, the opioid crisis was declared a nationwide public health emergency by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Statistics on Drug Overdoses and Deaths:

In 2017, Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards declared the opioid epidemic a public health emergency in the state.

Statistics on drug overdoses and deaths

According to the Louisiana Department of Health, in 2019, there were 1,267 drug overdose deaths in the state, with opioids being involved in 83.3% of those deaths.

Addiction Treatment Overview

Inpatient Treatment

Inpatient facilities provide round-the-clock supervised care. Average length of stay is 30 days. Services include detoxification, counseling, group therapy, medication management, and aftercare planning.

Outpatient Treatment

Outpatient programs offer services for 4-8 hours per day, 3-5 days a week. Locations are available across St. John the Baptist Parish. Services include therapy, support groups, and medication management.

Treatment Level Unreported

An estimated a certain percentage of residents who need but do not receive treatment may rely on unreported support groups or counseling.

Comparison of Treatment in La Place vs. Neighboring New Orleans

CityNumber of Treatment FacilitiesInpatient Beds AvailableApproximate Cost of Treatment
La Place, St. John the Baptist County, Louisiana, United States530$10,000-15,000
New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana, United States15100$15,000-25,000

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 withdrawal symptoms and drug cravings by activating opioid receptors in the brain, reducing illicit opioid use. Opioid treatment programs (OTPs) provide methadone doses daily for stabilized treatment plans.
  • Societal perspectives on methadone treatment are mixed – while it does help many people recover, some view it as merely replacing one addiction with another. However, research shows methadone maintenance is effective for treating addiction when properly monitored.

Methadone Distribution

Methadone distribution is highly regulated with required monitoring:

  • Urine testing: Methadone maintenance patients must undergo at least eight tests in the first year of treatment to detect illicit drug use.
  • Take-home requirements: During the first 14 days of treatment, the take-home methadone supply is limited to a 24-hour dose. After 90 days of compliance, patients can earn one take-home dose per week.
  • Monitoring: Methadone treatment programs should have an interprofessional team of medical, counseling and support staff monitoring patient progress.
  • Prescription drug monitoring: Clinicians should review prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP) data to carefully cross-reference methadone and other opioid dosages, as methadone has a narrow therapeutic index.

In St. John the Baptist County, Louisiana, methadone is a Schedule II controlled prescription drug, with strict regulations on distribution.

Methadone Treatment Effectiveness Research

Methadone is an effective medication for treating opioid use disorder used since 1947. Studies show methadone reduces opioid use, disease transmission, and crime:

  • 33% fewer opioid-positive drug tests for methadone patients
  • 4.44 times more likely to stay in treatment compared to non-medication treatments
  • Retention in methadone treatment reduces overdose and disease transmission risk and increases employment

However, methadone does have some major drawbacks:

  • Potential for misuse and diversion
  • Severe withdrawal symptoms if treatment is stopped suddenly
  • Possible QTc prolongation or cardiac arrhythmia issues
  • Respiratory depression or overdose risk when combined with alcohol or other substances

Compared to other medications like buprenorphine, methadone is equally effective for reducing illicit opioid use. But it requires careful monitoring to manage the risks.

Methadone provides benefits but also has serious risks requiring careful management under monitored treatment programs.

About La Place

  • La Place is a census-designated place (CDP) in St. John the Baptist County, Louisiana, United States.
  • La Place is located in southeastern Louisiana. St. John the Baptist County borders St. Charles County, St. James County, Ascension County, and Lake Maurepas. The neighboring states are Mississippi, Arkansas, and Texas. Baton Rouge is the capital and largest city in Louisiana.
  • According to the United States Census Bureau, the La Place CDP has a total area of 15.2 square miles (39.4 km2), of which 14.9 square miles (38.6 km2) is land and 0.2 square miles (0.5 km2), or 1.51%, is water.

Population Statistics

The 2020 census recorded a population of 32,404 in La Place.

Demographics:

As of the 2020 census, females make up 51.5% of the population in La Place.

Age Brackets:

  • 0-17 years: 24.1%
  • 18-64 years: 61.3%
  • 65 years and over: 14.6%

Occupations:

The most common occupations in La Place are office and administrative support, sales, production, transportation, education, training and library, and management.