Methadone Clinics in Fayetteville

Rules and Regulations

Fayetteville, Cumberland County, North Carolina adheres to strict federal and state regulations regarding methadone clinics, outlined by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. All clinics must be certified by SAMHSA.

Certification Procedures

To be certified, a clinic must:

• Be accredited by an authorized accreditation body
• Employ state-licensed and credentialed medical personnel
• Follow federal and state opioid treatment standards
• Maintain diversion control procedures
• Provide counseling and care coordination

Benefits of Medication-Assisted Treatment

Medication-assisted treatment with methadone can:

• Reduce opioid cravings and withdrawal symptoms
• Allow people to focus on recovery and rebuilding their lives
• Lower the risk of overdose and death
• Decrease transmission of infectious diseases

How Clinics Operate

Certified clinics provide daily supervised methadone dosing, counseling, drug testing, and case management. The goal is to stabilize individuals in treatment so they can function without the use of illicit or prescription opioids.

Insurance Coverage

Medicaid, Medicare, and many private insurers cover methadone treatment. Some clinics offer treatment on a sliding scale based on income for those without coverage. Grants and public funding are also available to provide low-cost or free treatment to those in need. Both public and private insurance coverage depends on the clinic, plan type, and benefits offered.

Drug Use in Fayetteville

The opioid crisis has been declared a public health emergency in North Carolina. According to the NC Injury and Violence Prevention Branch:

• In 2020, there were over 3,000 unintentional opioid-related overdose ED visits in NC, a 36% increase from 2019.
• From 2019 to 2020, all opioid-involved overdose deaths increased by 40%.
• Fentanyl was involved in over 75% of all unintentional opioid deaths in 2020.

Addiction Treatment Overview

Inpatient Treatment

Inpatient treatment involves living at a facility while receiving 24/7 care and monitoring. Typical programs last 30-90 days. Services include medically assisted detox, counseling, group therapy, education, and aftercare planning.

Outpatient Treatment

Outpatient programs provide services at a facility up to 5 days a week for 2-4 hours a day. Services include counseling, therapy, support groups, and medication management.

Treatment Level Unreported

An estimated 9.2% of admissions in NC did not report treatment levels in 2020. This includes detoxification, intervention, and emergency department services.

Comparison of Treatment in Fayetteville vs. Raleigh

Addiction Treatment Overview

What is Methadone

Methadone is a synthetic opioid agonist medication used in medication-assisted treatment (MAT) programs, also known as opioid treatment programs (OTPs). It helps treat opioid use disorder by preventing withdrawal symptoms and reducing drug cravings. Methadone binds to the same opioid receptors as drugs like heroin or oxycodone, but it activates the receptors more slowly, leading to less euphoria and sedation. This allows it to alleviate withdrawal and cravings without producing the same level of impairment.

Methadone is dispensed daily in liquid form from certified clinics. Patients must visit the clinic each day to receive their dose under observation. This ensures compliance and minimizes the risk of diversion or misuse. Over time, trusted patients may earn take-home doses as a privilege for following program rules.

Societal perspectives on methadone treatment are mixed. Some see it as merely replacing one addiction with another. However, evidence shows methadone allows patients to function normally, improve health, reduce criminal behavior, and hold jobs. When properly regulated, methadone saves lives.

Methadone Distribution

Methadone clinics are heavily regulated to prevent misuse. Requirements include:

• Urine testing: Patients must undergo random urine drug screens. In the first year, they must have at least 8 tests. This checks for continued illicit drug use.
• Take-home doses: For the first 14 days, patients only get a 1-day take-home supply. As they demonstrate progress, they can earn more take-homes to reduce clinic visits.
• Monitoring: Clinics have an interprofessional team of doctors, nurses, counselors, and social workers to monitor patient progress.
• Prescription monitoring: Doctors review the state’s Prescription Drug Monitoring Program before increasing doses, to avoid dangerous interactions.

The state of North Carolina classifies methadone as a Schedule II controlled substance. Special regulations surround its medical use.

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. Patients on methadone have 33% fewer opioid-positive drug tests. They are also 4.44 times more likely to stay in treatment. Retention in treatment reduces overdose risk, HIV/HCV transmission, and criminal behavior while increasing employment.

However, methadone does have risks requiring careful oversight. Potential drawbacks include misuse/diversion, severe withdrawal if stopped suddenly, QTc prolongation and cardiac issues, respiratory depression, and overdose when combined with other substances like benzodiazepines.

Research shows methadone and buprenorphine are equally effective in reducing illicit opioid use. However, each has benefits and risks that determine appropriate treatment on a case-by-case basis.

In conclusion, methadone is beneficial but also requires careful management of risks.

About Fayetteville

Fayetteville is located in Cumberland County in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It borders the states of Georgia, Tennessee, and Virginia.

Location, County & List of Neighboring States

• Georgia
• Tennessee
• Virginia

Fayetteville is the county seat of Cumberland County.

Capital and largest city

Fayetteville is the largest city in Cumberland County.

Land area

The land area of Fayetteville is 147.7 square miles.

Population Statistics

Total Population

The estimated population of Fayetteville in 2021 was 209,889.

Demographics

Gender

• Male: 49.7%
• Female: 50.3%

Age Brackets

• Under 18 years: 24.1%
• 18 to 64 years: 64.3%
• 65 years and over: 11.6%

Occupations

Top occupations in Fayetteville include:

• Management, business, science and arts: 31.2%
• Sales and office: 27.3%
• Service: 17.2%
• Production, transportation, material moving: 11.4%