Methadone Clinics: Finding One Safely and How They Work

In the midst of navigating opioid use disorder (OUD), it may feel challenging to locate the help you need. Certain medications for opioid use disorder can help to manage the symptoms of withdrawal and decrease cravings. Methadone is one of the medications used to treat opioid use disorder.

Thanks! You've successfully submitted your vote.

Sign up to view the results!

Continue with Facebook

Sign up with your email

By joining, you accept our Terms of Use, and acknowledge our collection, sharing, and use of your data in accordance with our Health Data and Privacy policies.

Already a Member? Log in

In this article, we’ll discuss ways to find methadone clinics and provide resources to help you or your loved one with OUD. We’ll answer questions from the OUD community, such as “where can I enroll in a methadone clinic near me,” “where do I go to get treatment,” and “how do I get methadone?”

What Is a Methadone Clinic?

Methadone clinics are clinics that prescribe individuals with OUD methadone as part of a treatment program. Since methadone is an opioid itself, it needs to be provided by a healthcare professional to help with dosage and to monitor people for any side effects.

How Does Methadone Work?

Methadone treatment uses methadone, which is a long-acting opioid, to target receptors in your brain. This helps reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms from primary opioids you’ve been taking. With the help of medical professionals, the dose is closely monitored to reduce the risk of an overdose. This helps to stabilize your response to opioids during the detoxification period.

How Does a Methadone Clinic Work?

Methadone clinics are opioid addiction treatment centers that offer methadone as a treatment option. Typically, methadone treatment is just part of a larger, more comprehensive treatment program. There are options for inpatient or outpatient treatment based on your specific needs. Once you find a treatment center, a medical professional will assess you to determine the best treatment plan for you.

How Do You Get Methadone?

Methadone is a Schedule II controlled substance because of its risk for misuse. This means it requires a prescription and medical supervision. It can only be provided through methadone clinics. Currently, in the U.S., people are not able to access methadone through their doctor’s office or pharmacy like they can for other medications. The Modernizing Opioid Treatment Access Act is a current bill trying to make methadone qualify for prescribed take-home doses from a pharmacy, but this hasn’t taken effect yet.

How To Find a Methadone Clinic

There are a few key things to look for when searching for a methadone treatment center. One place to start is with your primary care physician or an addiction treatment specialist. Since they are likely familiar with your current health status, they can serve as a great resource to discuss treatment options and treatment centers. They can provide resources and recommend specific options tailored to your needs.

Accreditation

It’s important to check to make sure the treatment facility you’re considering is accredited through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). This ensures the clinic has gone through appropriate channels and is operating within the nation’s standards for rehabilitation facilities. This is also important because only SAMHSA-certified clinics can prescribe methadone as a method of treatment. Opioid treatment programs (OTP) also need to be registered through the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

Insurance

If you have a health insurance plan that you would like to use to pay for treatment, you’ll want to check to see which clinics take your insurance. When you look up treatment centers, they will typically list which forms of payment they take, including which insurances they accept. If it’s not listed online, you can also call the clinic to get this information.

Type of Facility

As mentioned earlier, methadone clinics can be inpatient or outpatient. The majority of people seeking treatment for OUD start with an inpatient facility and then move into an outpatient program as their treatment progresses. In your search, you can include which types of facilities you’re interested in.

Other Services

Since methadone treatment is typically part of a larger treatment plan, looking into other services and treatments offered at a facility could help determine which clinic might be the best option for you. Other services that are often paired with methadone treatment include different forms of therapy. This can be individual therapy, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which helps with the mental aspects of addiction and helps people develop tools that can be used after the program and methadone treatment finishes. Group and family therapy can also be part of a treatment plan to learn and discuss addiction with others who understand it.

Where To Start

To start looking for treatment centers near you, you can visit findtreatment.gov. You can also search by state directly on the SAMHSA website. Or you can call the American Addiction Centers confidential helpline to get started at 866-836-3876.

What To Expect at Your Clinic Visit

Depending on which type of clinic you go to, the process might look a little bit different, but they generally have a similar intake process.

When You First Arrive

When you initially arrive at a methadone clinic, you will go through an intake process. This typically includes:

• Going through your medical history and addiction status — This helps the facility know where your starting point is, so they can best guide treatment.
• Reviewing your current medications — Since methadone can interact with other medications, it’s important for your healthcare team to know what you’re taking to ensure safety with methadone dosing.
• A physical exam — This can include blood work, a urine test, and other typical medical exams.
• Documentation — Signing intake forms and reviewing facility policies.
• Discussing treatment options — Meeting with a member of your healthcare team to discuss what treatment options would work best for you.
• Orientation — Touring the facility, meeting staff, and meeting other program members.

Daily Life in an Inpatient Methadone Program

If you are in a residential or inpatient program, the programs usually have a daily schedule to help you establish a routine and develop healthy habits. This can include:

• Structured meal time
• Individual, group, and family therapy
• 12-step addiction meetings
• Free time
• Working on your recovery goals

Daily Supervised Methadone

If your healthcare team determines that methadone would be a beneficial part of your treatment plan, you’ll receive a daily supervised dose of the medication. Since methadone is still an opioid, you need to be monitored for how you respond to the medication. They’ll look for any potential side effects and see how well methadone is helping with withdrawal symptoms and cravings. Your healthcare team will adjust the dosage based on individual factors such as opioid tolerance.

Life After an Inpatient Methadone Program

As you progress in the program, you will eventually be discharged (if you were in a residential program). At this point, you will transition to an outpatient program where you’ll return to the methadone clinic to receive your methadone dose. Once you’ve shown compliance with the treatment program, you may be given dosages to take home to continue treatment. You’ll still be monitored with check-in appointments.

Though OUD is complex, there are many providers and resources to assist you in the journey, as well as this online community.

Join the Conversation

On MyOpioidRecoveryTeam, people share their experiences with opioid use disorder, get advice, and find support from others who understand.

Have you or a loved one used methadone as part of your treatment program? Let others know in the comments below.