According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, abundant evidence shows that medications such as methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone all reduce opioid use and opioid use disorder-related symptoms, and they reduce the risk of infectious disease transmission as well as criminal behavior associated with drug use.
Additionally, these medications also increase the likelihood that a person will remain in treatment, which itself is associated with lower risk of overdose mortality, reduced risk of infectious disease transmission, reduced criminal justice involvement, and greater likelihood of employment.
That’s why, the Psychological Services department at OSF Saint Anthony’s Health Center (1 St. Anthony’s Way, Alton) is hosting an upcoming “lunch & learn” program exploring how Medications for Addiction Therapy (MAT) can assist in recovery when other options have not been successful.
This “lunch & learn” program (ideal for medical providers, support staff, students, volunteers and community members) will be held on Wednesday, February 12, 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. in the Perpetual Help Center (PHC) at OSF Saint Anthony’s Health Center.
The “lunch and learn” session is free and lunch will be provided, but registration is required due to limited seating.
Registration can be completed by visiting www.eventbrite.com/e/medication-assisted-recovery-lunch-learn-tickets-1102582306359?aff=oddtdtcreator.
OSF Saint Anthony’s Psychological Services department continued its focused efforts in expanding resources in addressing the mental health and well-being of residents in the Riverbend region.
Marla G. Nelson, a licensed clinical professional counselor (LCPC), psychotherapist, with more than 13 years of providing and managing individual, family, couples and group therapy, as well as crisis counseling throughout the metro east and Riverbend region, says MAT is not a one size fits all approach. “I’m very person-centered. I have a special interest in providing services to those who struggle with mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) along with their loved ones,” Nelson states. “My preference is a risk reduction approach for SUD where I partner with the patient to develop a treatment plan that will fit their needs.”
The goal of MAT is full recovery; however, MAT may also:
- Increase patient survival rates
- Increase treatment retention rates
- Decrease criminal activity related to opioid use and other drug use
- Increase patients’ abilities to gain or maintain employment
Nelson continues by saying “MAT is a comprehensive approach to treatment; in its various phases, it incorporates strategies to address several components in an individual’s life, including vocational issues, medical and mental health concerns, family issues, and legal concerns through monitoring, support, screening, referrals, and counseling.”
According to American Addiction Centers, MAT was originally designed to treat opioid use disorder (OUD) in the 1960s when methadone maintenance was developed as one of the key forms of treatment for this problem. Federally funded treatment programs emerged in the 1970s; the term “maintenance treatment” (referring to medication-assisted treatment) was first used in the Narcotic Addict Treatment Act of 1974.
In the 1990s, the National Institutes of Health published important recommendations clarifying that opioid addiction was not due to a lack of willpower or a moral failing, but a treatable disorder. This helped further promote the concept of addiction as a medical condition, widened the search for and adoption of MAT options, and may have also helped to reduce some of the stigmas associated with MAT. Soon, other treatments and medications developed, and MAT became more widely used. Finally, accreditation systems for opioid treatment programs (OTPs) helped standardize treatment methods in MAT and ensure high-quality MAT services across the United States.
According to the 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health and the National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services:
- 29.5 million people aged 12 or older had an alcohol use disorder in 2021
- 2.6 million of these people received some sort of treatment for their alcohol use
- Out of these 2.6 million people, 381,000 received MAT for AUD
- 5.6 million people aged 12 or older had an opioid use disorder in 2021
- 1.2 million of these individuals received some sort of treatment for their opioid misuse
- Out of these 1.2 million people, 887,000 or nearly 73% received MAT for their opioid misuse
- 311,531 people received methadone treatment in OTPs in a single-day count in March 2020
- 31,864 people received buprenorphine treatment in OTPs in a single-day count in March 2020
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), MAT has been proven to be effective in clinical studies and has been shown to significantly decrease the need for inpatient detox.
“I focus on opioid treatment since Medicated use for Alcohol Use Disorder doesn’t carry the stigma and misconceptions found in MAR for Opioid Use Disorder. I can relate with anyone who has concerns about essentially using an opioid to treat opioid addiction but after seeing people recover, I can offer some real insight,” Nelson adds.
More information on Medications for Addiction Treatment (MAT) can be obtained by calling the OSF Saint Anthony’s Psychological Services department at (618) 474-6240. Most insurances are accepted including Medicaid and Medicare. Some eligibility and restrictions may apply.