Choosing a Methadone Clinic for Followup Treatment After Incarceration

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, inmates who use drugs tend to go back to using drugs when they are released. This is mostly due to their friends and peer group members also using. Even though methadone maintenance treatment is provided in prison, this maintenance treatment needs to be continued when the inmate is released for the inmate to successfully leave drugs behind. Choosing a methadone clinic for follow-up treatment after incarceration is an extremely important thing to do.

Knowing your Needs

One of the most important things that you need when choosing a methadone clinic after incarceration is what you need from the treatment center. There are a few things that you need to know about your addiction and needs before choosing a treatment center. These are:

• what level of treatment you need,
• if you need inpatient treatment or outpatient treatment,
• whether you are going to be tempted to use opiates again,
• what sort of treatment style you need, and
• if you can travel to a clinic or not.

These are important things to think about before choosing a clinic for follow-up care.

What to ask When Choosing a Methadone Clinic

At an outpatient clinic, you need to arrive daily for your treatment.

Choosing a methadone clinic is a very difficult decision whether you have been incarcerated or not. You need to know what to ask the clinic advisors before entering a treatment program. A few good questions are:

• what does the clinic offer,
• is the treatment daily, weekly, or monthly,
• do they offer tapering schedules,
• what does the clinic cost,
• are they able to fulfill your parole conditions if any, and
• what happens if you leave treatment early?

It is an excellent idea to write down any questions that you have before you speak to a clinic. This way it is easier to make sure that the program is right for you.

Sober house, Inpatient, or Outpatient

Although many of the methadone clinics are now outpatient it is important to know the difference between the types of treatment.

• sober house methadone treatment – a sober house is a transition house between incarceration and freedom. Some sober houses offer methadone treatment transportation or other help.
• inpatient clinics – inpatient clinics are very close to incarceration. You stay at the clinic while you receive treatment.
• outpatient clinics – this is the most common methadone clinics. Most outpatient clinics require you to go to the clinic daily to check in with medical staff and receive your dose of methadone.

Which you choose is up to your release regulations and your individual needs. According to the National Library of Medicine, inmates who have post release methadone treatment are less likely to relapse than those that do not. Most people who have had methadone in incarceration take advantage of the services they offer upon release. Most jails and prisons have methadone programs that they work with already.

For more information on choosing a methadone clinic after incarceration, give us a call at 800-678-5931(Paid Advertiser) . We can help you choose the methadone treatment option that is right for you.