Methadone Clinics in Oklahoma City

Rules and Regulations

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, United States adheres to strict federal and state regulations regarding methadone clinics, outlined by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and Oklahoma State Department of Health.

Certification Procedures

• Clinics must apply for certification from SAMHSA’s Division of Pharmacologic Therapies and the State of Oklahoma
• Staff must meet educational and licensing criteria
• Facilities must meet methadone dispensing, storage, and administration requirements

Benefits of Medication-Assisted Treatment

• Allows people with opioid use disorder to regain control of their health and lives
• Reduces opioid cravings and withdrawal symptoms
• Facilitates participation in counseling, behavioral therapies, and social support
• Decreases risk of overdose and associated health problems

How Clinics Operate and Their Purpose

Methadone clinics provide medication-assisted treatment (MAT) to people diagnosed with opioid use disorder. Clinics dispense methadone, a long-acting opioid agonist medication taken orally, to prevent withdrawal symptoms and drug cravings. Additional counseling and services are offered to help patients achieve sobriety.

Insurance Coverage

Most private health insurance plans cover methadone treatment. Medicaid covers methadone prescribed in a clinic setting. Some clinics offer treatment on a sliding fee scale based on income for uninsured patients.

Drug Use in Oklahoma City

The opioid crisis has been declared a nationwide public health emergency. In Oklahoma specifically:

• Over 800 people died from drug overdoses in 2020, a 45% increase over 2019
• Prescription opioids are involved in nearly half of all overdose deaths
• Methamphetamine and heroin are also commonly abused substances

Addiction Treatment Overview

Inpatient Treatment

• Patients reside at the facility 24/7 for detox and counseling
• A typical stay is 30 days
• Services include medical care, group therapy, counseling

Outpatient Treatment

• Patients undergo treatment while living at home
• Attend scheduled services 3-5 days a week
• Receive group and individual counseling

Treatment Level Unreported

An estimated 10-20% of Oklahomans receive unofficial, unreported addiction treatment

Comparison of Treatment in Oklahoma City vs. Tulsa

Methadone Treatment

What is Methadone

Methadone is a long-acting opioid agonist medication used to treat opioid use disorder and prevent withdrawal symptoms. It is taken orally once daily and binds to opioid receptors in the brain, reducing cravings and blocking the euphoric effects of other opioids. Methadone is provided through federally regulated opioid treatment programs (OTPs) based on an observed therapy model to ensure compliance and safe use.

Methadone activates the opioid receptors in the brain as a replacement for using other illicit opioids. This helps prevent painful withdrawal symptoms when people with opioid addictions stop using drugs. Methadone is carefully titrated to therapeutic levels in OTPs where patients take the liquid medication daily under nurse observation for safety. This ensures medications are taken correctly without risk of diversion. Over time privileges like take-home doses may be earned for stable patients showing progress.

While methadone has shown success in treating opioid addiction, it remains controversial with some opposition to replacing one opioid with another. Supporters argue that methadone stabilizes patients, allowing them to function normally and reduce criminal/risky behaviors when properly managed. Critics express concerns about substituting addictions and diversion risks. Overall, evidence supports methadone’s benefits but societal biases against addiction impact perceptions.

Methadone is a long-lasting opioid medication that is taken once daily to prevent opioid withdrawal symptoms. It replaces the effects of stronger opioids of abuse, stabilizing the brain without causing sedation/euphoria. Methadone relieves cravings and blocks getting high from other opioids. Over time, stabilized patients can earn take-home doses by demonstrating progress in staying off illicit opioids.

Methadone Distribution

Description of monitoring and regulations:

• Urine testing: Methadone maintenance patients must undergo at least eight tests in the first year of treatment to ensure no ongoing illicit opioid use.
• Take-home requirements: During the first 14 days of treatment, methadone doses cannot be taken home – patients must report to the clinic daily to take the liquid methadone under nurse observation to prevent risks from diversion/misuse. Over time, stable patients can earn 1-4 weeks of take-home doses by demonstrating progress in treatment goals.
• Monitoring: Methadone treatment programs have an interprofessional team including addiction medicine physicians, nurses, social workers, and addiction counselors to coordinate care. They monitor patient progress closely, especially when initially starting methadone, where doses must be carefully titrated.
• Prescription drug monitoring: Clinicians check the statewide prescription drug monitoring program database when admitting new patients to verify current opioid prescriptions and cross-reference dosage. Methadone has a narrow therapeutic window, so doses must be coordinated carefully with patients’ opioid tolerance to prevent oversedation risks.

In Oklahoma, methadone is a Schedule II controlled substance available only through approved OTPs. The state tracks dispensing via the OK PDMP.

Methadone Treatment Effectiveness Research

Methadone is an effective medication for treating opioid use disorder used since 1947. Studies support that methadone maintenance therapy significantly improves outcomes versus no treatment.

Evidence for Effectiveness

Research shows participation in methadone maintenance treatment reduces ongoing opioid use, infectious disease transmission from IV drug use sharing needles, and drug-related criminal behavior:

• 33% fewer opioid-positive drug tests for patients on stable methadone doses
• Patients receiving methadone maintenance are 4.44 times more likely to stay in treatment and avoid relapse
• Retention in methadone treatment reduces the risk of overdose and disease transmission while improving employment rates

Major Drawbacks

While an evidence-based treatment, methadone does carry risks including:

• Potential for misuse/diversion of prescribed methadone especially during the induction stabilization period
• Severe withdrawal symptoms if methadone is stopped suddenly due to physical dependency
• Possible QTc prolongation or cardiac arrhythmias
• Respiratory depression or overdose risk when combined with alcohol or other sedating substances

Comparison to Other Medications

Research shows methadone and buprenorphine are equally effective for treating opioid use disorder and reducing ongoing illicit opioid use based on urine drug tests.

Methadone maintenance therapy is beneficial for stabilizing opioid addiction but requires careful monitoring and management due to risks.

About Oklahoma City

Location, County & List of Neighboring States

Oklahoma City is located in Oklahoma County in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. It borders the states of Texas to the south and west, Kansas to the north, Missouri to the northeast, and Arkansas to the east.

Capital and Largest City

Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city in Oklahoma.

Land Area

Oklahoma City covers 620 square miles of land area.

Population Statistics

Total Population

The total population of Oklahoma City is 643,648 as of 2020.

Gender

• Male: 49%
• Female: 51%

Age Brackets

• Under 18 years: 25.7%
• 18 to 64 years: 62.5%
• 65 years and over: 11.8%

Occupations

• Management, professional and related occupations: 38.8%
• Sales and office occupations: 24.8%
• Service occupations: 16.8%
• Production, transportation, and material moving occupations: 11%
• Construction, extraction, maintenance, and repair occupations: 8.5%