Medication assisted treatment, or MAT, combines counseling with FDA approved medications such as buprenorphine, methadone, or naltrexone. For opioid and alcohol addiction it is one of the best supported approaches in addiction medicine, cutting cravings, relapse, and overdose risk.
In Pittsburgh, MAT is offered in both outpatient and residential settings, and the right medication depends on the substance and your health history. Of Pittsburgh's 24 rehab centers, 20 report medications used in addiction treatment.
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OutpatientOutpatient day treatment or partial hospitalizationIntensive outpatient treatmentFederal, or any government funding for substance use treatment programsMedicaid
OutpatientOutpatient detoxificationOutpatient day treatment or partial hospitalizationFederal, or any government funding for substance use treatment programsMedicaid
Hospital inpatient/24-hour hospital inpatientHospital inpatient detoxificationHospital inpatient treatmentFederal, or any government funding for substance use treatment programsMedicare
Hospital inpatient/24-hour hospital inpatientResidential/24-hour residentialLong-term residentialFederal, or any government funding for substance use treatment programsMedicaid
OutpatientOutpatient methadone/buprenorphine or naltrexone treatmentRegular outpatient treatmentFederal, or any government funding for substance use treatment programsMedicare
Residential/24-hour residentialResidential detoxificationShort-term residentialFederal, or any government funding for substance use treatment programsMedicaid
No. Treatment doses are stable and prescribed, they do not produce the highs and crashes of misuse, and they let people work, parent, and recover. Major health bodies consider MAT the standard of care for opioid addiction.
Which medications are used in MAT?
Buprenorphine (Suboxone) and methadone for opioid addiction, and naltrexone or acamprosate for alcohol. A prescriber matches the medication to your situation.
How long do people stay on MAT?
It varies from months to years. Staying on medication as long as it helps is safer than stopping early, and any taper should be planned with a prescriber.