Methadone treatment is entering a new era giving methadone patients opportunities that they never had before. Our views and issues are being taken seriously by many and it is important that advocacy organizations continue their important role as the patient’s voice. It is because of the hard work of many of the NAMA chapters that advocates are taken seriously and have become respected.
I firmly believe that without NAMA we would still have the old regulations. However, it will be up to advocates to insure that the new regulations and accreditation work. It will take some time for any change to be lasting. We must be patient and persistent.
NAMA has always believed that if you are going to advocate for methadone treatment that you have to advocate for the patient first. This belief along with science has guided us. As we enter the new millenium there are new challenges ahead of us. NAMA has initiated several new projects to work on along with doing what we have always done — advocate for the patient.
The President’s Office will have timely news and will contain iimportant issues that are affecting methadone treatment and patients as well as introduce new projects that NAMA is undertaking.
Joycelyn Woods