SAMHSA Finalized Take-Home Methadone Flexibilities, But Challenges to Access Persist

As fentanyl proliferates the illicit drug market and opioid-related overdoses surge, access to the life-saving medication methadone is more critical than ever.

Efforts to increase access to take-home methadone have paid off, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) cemented COVID-era flexibilities earlier this year.

For substance use disorder (SUD) treatment providers involved with methadone prescribing, SAMHSA’s final rule simplified processes and extended significant benefits for patients. Still, pain points remain for this segment of the SUD industry.

Methadone can reduce opioid cravings and sustain recovery from opioid use disorder (OUD). Patients are required to receive the medication under a clinician’s supervision, but daily visits to OTPs can profoundly impact a patient’s life by making achieving employment difficult, for example. Older patients or those with limited mobility can also struggle to attend in-person visits. SAMHSA’s final rule enabled OTPs to provide more personalized care, including the removal of length-of-treatment guidelines for take-home methadone.