Pubdate: Sat, 08 Mar 2008
Source: Cumberland Times-News (MD)
Copyright: 2008 Cumberland Times-News
Contact:  http://www.times-news.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1365
Author: Jeffrey Alderton, Cumberland Times-News
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?136 (Methadone)

METHADONE CLINICS TREATING HUNDREDS AROUND AREA

Directors Say Outpatient Facilities Having Positive Effect On Community

CUMBERLAND --- Nearly three years after opening its methadone clinic, 
the Allegany County Health Department treats 70 to 75 patients.

"Sixty-nine percent of our patients are in the 20-to-39 age bracket. 
Our population tends to come from lower-income population, including 
employed, unemployed, disabled. We have quite a mix, with half of 
them female and half male," said Jim Brenneman, director of 
outpatient addiction services.

The clinic operates six days each week for dosing, and patients can 
earn take-home doses by being free of illicit drugs and attending 
treatment counseling appointments.

"By and large, the program has gone very well. I shared some of the 
apprehension of the community when it first started," said Brenneman, 
who began his career in 1984.

"I can see how we are providing help, and it's a viable program. My 
impression is that the number of heroin-or opiate-related arrests and 
deaths locally have dropped. Whether or not that is due to the 
presence of our opiate-based treatment programs I can't say. But it 
appears these kinds of incidents have decreased,"

The program has a waiting list of 15 people seeking to enroll in it.

For many years, there was no significant opiate problem in the community.

"That number, however, skyrocketed in 2003 and 2004. We had to 
re-think and re-do our treatment approach. The outpatient treatment 
models we were using were not effective and so we had to take that 
into consideration and adapt our strategies," said Brenneman.

Methadone treatment, he said, is not used only for heroin addiction. 
"Half of the people in our treatment program are here primarily 
because of problems with prescription opiates.

"These are people who, over time, have become addicted to 
prescription medicines. It's important for the public to understand 
that this program is not only for the stereotypical heroin-injecting drug user.

"I don't think people understand the addictive features of these pain 
medications. People need to be cautious and aware of the possible 
side effects," said Brenneman.

Discussions are continuing by Dr. Sue Raver, Allegany County health 
officer; the department's Substantive Abuse Prevention Unit; 
Brenneman; and other health department officials to find ways to 
"increase public awareness to the dangers of prescription medicine 
drug abuse," he said.

In LaVale, approximately 150 people are patients at the Cumberland 
Treatment Center Inc. on National Highway, with about 60 percent of 
those suffering from heroin or other opiate-based addictions. As one 
of 60 such treatment centers operated nationwide by CRC Health Group 
Inc., the facility can handle up to 300 patients.

A staff of 10 people, led by clinic director Bill Dick, operates the 
facility six days a week since it opened in July 2006. Although it 
may be thought of as a methadone clinic, Dick stresses that it is not that.

"We use methadone as a tool to treat opiate-addicted patients as well 
as suboxone in treatment to addictions ranging from heroin to pain 
pills. We also treat alcoholic patients and drugs associated with 
that addiction," said Dick.

"Most people look down on methadone because it is an addictive drug 
also. But what we have here is a maintenance-to-abstinence program. 
We use methadone to stabilize them. When they come in, they are sick 
and down and out. Some can't seem to get better without a stabilizing 
drug such as methadone," he said.

Patients get involved in individual, family and group counseling to 
help them become motivated to overcome their addictions. They enroll 
in 12-step programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics 
Anonymous as part of their support system.

"The longer a person stays in treatment, the more successful they are 
in overcoming their addiction. Addiction is a lifelong disease," said Dick.

Studies show, Dick said, that there is an 80-percent success rate for 
people enrolled in maintenance drug-based program more than 11 
months. Typically, after 12 months of treatment, patients use the 
next six months for detoxification, with drug dosing gradually 
reduced down to nothing. Those patients then remain in counseling for 
six months.

"Usually during this process, a person has gotten a job, support of 
their family and they become a whole person. They didn't want to 
become addicted in the first place and then they become a productive 
person and an asset to themselves, their family and to society," said Dick.

The treatment center works closely with primary-care physicians, 
families, the court system, Department of Parole and Probation and 
mental health facilities to coordinate treatment programs to ensure 
that patients are receiving optimal care.

A monitoring program and urinalysis, with every patient tested 
randomly at least once a month, are part of the treatment. Patients 
given take-home doses may be called to bring back the next-day dose 
to verify compliance with program guidelines and requirements.

"We do a lot of good and I think we save lives. We're doing a big 
part in helping to keep crime down. We are helping individuals and 
families. We've never had any negative feedback from the community," said Dick.

Patients are charged $12 per day for treatment, physical examination, 
weekly checks by treatment center physician and weekly counseling.

Any patients unable to comply with the prescribed program are 
referred to either intensive out-patient treatment or entering an 
in-patient program.

"Addiction is the degradation of our society," said Dick.

In Cumberland, there are 130 clients being treated at Western 
Maryland Recovery Services on Bedford Road for all types of opiate 
addictions, according to Herb Howard, program sponsor.

"Our clients come from all age groups, all segments of society and 
some are multigenerational," said Lezlie Reinhart, program director.

Howard believes his treatment center is contributing to the community 
in a positive way.

"I think we have made a difference. We're helping to reduce crime by 
helping people to deal with their addictions. We make their 
addictions and their lives manageable," said Howard, who also 
operates a treatment center in Montgomery County.

Both Howard and Reinhart detailed positive results of their program, 
including a local man who overcame his addiction to 
physician-prescribed pain medication.

"He was here for two years. He came here thinking he could do this in 
two months. There was nothing that made him happy.

"Two years later, he has gained weight, he is feeling good and 
feeling productive. He has also made lifestyle changes to reduce his 
pain and he has taken a holistic view of his life," said Howard, who 
noted that addiction is "very indiscriminate."

"Ten percent of the population can be addicted to some kind of drug," 
said Howard.

Reinhart said eating healthy and exercise are vital to good health.

"Feeling good is part of recovery, eating right is part of recovery, 
exercise is part of recovery. We are rebuilding the whole person," 
said Reinhart. "When people come in here, they are trying to get a 
second chance. Not all of us get that."

Howard added, "It takes time to get messed up and it takes time to 
get cleaned up. But it's possible."
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