Methadone Clinics in Staten Island

Rules and Regulations

Staten Island, Richmond County adheres to strict federal and state regulations regarding methadone clinics, outlined by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS).

Certification Procedures

Clinics must be certified by SAMHSA and licensed by OASAS. Certification requirements include security, counseling, consent for treatment, patient admission criteria, and more.

Benefits of Medication-Assisted Treatment

• Reduces opioid cravings and withdrawal symptoms
• Allows people to regain control of their lives
• Improves social functioning and alignment with the law
• Decreases risk of overdose and associated health issues

How Clinics Operate and Their Purpose

• Provide methadone doses for opioid addiction treatment
• Offer counseling and behavioral therapies
• Conduct drug testing
• Connect patients to community resources and support services

Insurance Coverage

• Staten Island has free public methadone clinics that provide treatment regardless of ability to pay.
• Medicaid covers methadone treatment. Private insurers like BlueCross BlueShield and UnitedHealthcare may cover it with certain plans. Clinics can provide details.

Drug Use in Staten Island

The opioid crisis has been declared a public health emergency. In Staten Island, there were over 150 opioid overdose deaths in 2021 based on state health department data. The most commonly detected substances in overdose deaths are:

• Opioids: heroin, fentanyl, oxycodone
• Cocaine
• Benzodiazepines

Addiction Treatment Overview

Inpatient Treatment

Inpatient treatment involves staying at a facility 24/7 for detox and recovery programs. Typical length is 30 days. Services include medical care, counseling, group therapy, and medication management.

Outpatient Treatment

Outpatient treatment allows the person to live at home and attend services at the facility up to 5 days a week for several hours a day. Services are similar to inpatient but less intensive. Locations are available throughout the borough.

Treatment Level Unreported

An estimated 40% of all treatment services fall into the unreported treatment level based on national data. This may include non-medical detox or peer support groups.

Comparison of Treatment Options

Methadone Treatment

What is Methadone

Methadone is an opioid agonist medication used to treat opioid use disorder. It binds to opioid receptors and reduces cravings and withdrawal symptoms. Methadone is taken orally once daily in opioid treatment programs (OTPs).

Methadone maintenance treatment provides structure and support by requiring regular clinic visits for supervised dosing. This principle of an OTP helps patients stabilize, focus on recovery goals like employment, and reduce risk behaviors like injection drug use.

Many still view methadone negatively as “replacing one drug with another.” However, studies show methadone helps patients stay in treatment, reduces opioid use, and lowers overdose death rates. With structure and dosage adjustments, patients can function and manage cravings.

Methadone Distribution

OTPs providing methadone treatment must follow regulations including:

• Urine Testing: 8 tests minimum required in the first treatment year to detect any unsanctioned drug use
• Take-Home Doses: Limited to 24 hours maximum during the first 14 days
• Monitoring: Treatment teams should include medical, counseling, and peer support staff.
• Prescription Drug Monitoring: Check statewide Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) data.

Methadone is a Schedule II controlled substance.

Methadone Treatment Effectiveness Research

Methadone treatment helps individuals with opioid use disorder by:

• Reducing opioid use based on drug testing and self-reports
• Lowering risky injection practices linked to disease transmission
• Decreasing criminal behaviors that often support addiction

Studies demonstrate methadone’s benefits include:

• 33% fewer opioid-positive drug tests for patients on methadone versus placebo
• 4.44 times more likely to stay in treatment for at least 3 months
• Retention in treatment drastically reduces overdose death risk and leads to increased employment

However, methadone does carry risks:

• Potential for misuse/diversion with street value
• Severe withdrawal if stopped suddenly
• Risk of QTc prolongation affecting heart rhythm
• Respiratory depression and overdose danger if combined with other substances

Methadone shows similar effectiveness to buprenorphine in reducing illicit opioid use.

Benefits are substantial but methadone requires careful management.

About Staten Island

Staten Island is one of the five boroughs of New York City and is coincident with Richmond County, New York. It is located in the southwest portion of the city.

Location, County & List of Neighboring States

• Part of New York State
• Bordered by the state of New Jersey to the west and south
• Neighboring New York City boroughs are Brooklyn to the northeast across The Narrows and Manhattan to the northeast across Upper New York Bay

Capital and Largest City

• The borough is coterminous with Richmond County and therefore has no capital
• The largest city is New York City

Land Area

The land area is 102.50 sq mi (265.5 km2)

Infrastructure

Well-connected to the transportation infrastructure of the greater New York metropolitan area including an extensive highway and road network and the Staten Island Railway rapid transit line

Population Statistics

Total Population

Population per 2020 census: 476,179

Demographics:

Gender

• Male: 237,612
• Female: 238,567

Age Brackets

• Under 18 years: 20.2%
• 18 to 64 years: 63.5%
• 65 years and over: 16.3%

Occupations

• Management, business, science, and arts occupations: 43.3%
• Sales and office occupations: 24.2%
• Service occupations: 16.8%
• Production, transportation, and material moving occupations: 15.7%