Methadone Clinics in Charleston

Rules and Regulations

Charleston, Charleston County, South Carolina adheres to strict federal and state regulations regarding methadone clinics, outlined by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control.

Certification Procedures

• Methadone clinics must be certified by SAMHSA and licensed by the state health department.
• Staff must meet educational and training requirements.
• Regular inspections ensure compliance with regulations.

Benefits of Medication-Assisted Treatment

• Methadone and other medications coupled with counseling and behavioral therapies can effectively treat opioid addiction.
• Methadone helps reduce opioid cravings and withdrawal symptoms.

Medication-assisted treatment is associated with:

• Reduced risk of overdose
• Improved social functioning
• Lower rates of infectious disease transmission

How Clinics Operate and Their Purpose

Methadone clinics provide medication, counseling, case management, and other services to those recovering from opioid addiction. The highly structured programs aim to help individuals achieve sobriety and become productive members of society.

Insurance Coverage

Public and private insurance plans, including Medicaid and Medicare, may cover methadone treatment services. Some clinics also offer treatment on a sliding scale based on income for those without insurance coverage.

Drug Use in Charleston

The opioid crisis has been declared a nationwide public health emergency. In South Carolina, opioid overdoses claimed 1,293 lives in 2020 alone. The most widely used substances in South Carolina are:

• Alcohol
• Marijuana
• Prescription opioids
• Cocaine
• Methamphetamine

Addiction Treatment Overview

Inpatient Treatment

Inpatient treatment involves staying at a facility 24/7 for 1-3 months. Treatment includes medical detox, individual and group therapy, counseling, and aftercare planning.

Outpatient Treatment

Outpatient treatment allows the patient to live at home while attending treatment sessions 1-5 times per week for several hours a day. Services are offered at various community locations.

Treatment Level Unreported

An estimated 10% of facilities did not report their treatment service levels in South Carolina as of 2020.

Comparison of Treatment Availability

Methadone Treatment

What is Methadone

Methadone is an opioid agonist medication used to treat opioid use disorder and dependence. As medication-assisted treatment (MAT), methadone helps prevent withdrawal symptoms and reduces drug cravings by acting on the same brain receptors as drugs like heroin or prescription pain medications. It is administered under medical supervision at opioid treatment programs (OTPs).

Societal perspectives on methadone treatment are mixed. While it helps individuals with opioid addiction rebuild their lives, some view it as merely replacing one opioid with another. However, research shows methadone is effective when properly monitored.

Methadone Distribution

OTP clinics providing methadone maintenance treatment must follow strict federal and state regulations including:

• Urine testing: Methadone maintenance patients must undergo at least eight random drug tests in the first year of treatment to ensure compliance and prevent diversion.
• Take-home requirements: During the first 90 days of treatment, take-home supplies of methadone are limited to just a single dose. After 2 years of compliance, patients may earn a maximum 30-day supply.
• Monitoring: Methadone treatment programs should have an interprofessional team including counselors, social workers, and medical staff providing coordinated care.
• Prescription drug monitoring: Clinicians should routinely review state prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP) data to carefully manage methadone dosage and avoid dangerous drug interactions.

In South Carolina, methadone is a Schedule II controlled medication with special regulations on prescribing and dispensing.

Methadone Treatment Effectiveness Research

Methadone has been used to treat opioid addiction since 1947. Studies show it is an effective MAT option that:

• Reduces opioid use based on drug testing. Patients in methadone treatment have 33% fewer opioid-positive drug tests.
• Improves treatment retention. Methadone patients are 4.44 times more likely to stay in treatment long-term compared to non-medication approaches.
• Lowers overdose death risk and disease transmission resulting from withdrawal or continued opioid use.
• Increases employment opportunities for those with opioid use disorder.

However, methadone does carry risks including diversion, withdrawal, cardiac issues, overdose when combined with other sedatives, and more. It can only be safely administered under medical supervision and careful patient monitoring.

Overall research shows methadone and buprenorphine are equally effective medications for treating opioid dependence and reducing self-reported opioid use. Both play an important role as medication options in MAT programs.

About Charleston

Charleston, Charleston County & Neighboring States

Charleston is located in Charleston County in the U.S. state of South Carolina. South Carolina borders North Carolina, Georgia, and the Atlantic Ocean.

Capital and Largest City

The capital and largest city in South Carolina is Columbia.

Land Area

Charleston has a total area of 8.9 square miles.

Population Statistics

Total Population

The population of Charleston was 9,134 at the 2020 United States Census.

Demographics:

Gender

• Male: 4,369
• Female: 4,765

Age Brackets

• Under 18 years: 19.4%
• 18 to 64 years: 51.3%
• 65 years and over: 29.3%

Occupations

Top occupations in Charleston include:

• Management, business, science, and arts: 30.8%
• Sales and office: 24.2%
• Service: 18.6%
• Production, transportation, and material moving: 15.5%
• Natural resources, construction, and maintenance: 10.9%