Commerce Township, Oakland County, Michigan adheres to strict federal and state regulations regarding methadone clinics, as outlined by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs.
Certification Procedures:
- Methadone clinics must be certified by SAMHSA and licensed by the state.
- Staff must meet educational and licensing criteria set by the state.
- Regular facility inspections are conducted.
Medication-assisted treatment with methadone helps individuals with opioid use disorder by:
- Preventing painful withdrawal symptoms
- Curtailing opioid cravings
- Allowing patients to focus on recovery and rehabilitation
How Clinics Operate:
- Methadone clinics provide daily supervised methadone doses and counseling to support recovery. The start goal is to help patients gain control over addiction and work towards the possibility of overcoming opioid dependence.
Insurance Coverage
- Public and private insurance plans, including Medicaid and Medicare, typically cover methadone treatment.
- Uninsured and underinsured individuals may qualify for free or reduced-cost treatment through state and federally funded programs. Eligibility is based on income and residence requirements.
Drug Use in Commerce Township
Opioid Crisis Declared Public Health Emergency:
- In 2017, the opioid epidemic was declared a nationwide public health emergency by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
- According to the CDC, over 81,000 drug overdose deaths occurred in the United States in the 12 months ending in May 2020, the highest number ever recorded in a 12-month period.
Statistics on Drug Overdoses and Deaths:
- In 2019, there were 2,354 overdose deaths—a rate of 22.6 deaths per 100,000 persons—in Michigan. This is compared to the national rate of 20.7 deaths per 100,000 persons.
- Opioids were involved in 2,036 (86.5%) of the overdose deaths in Michigan in 2019.
Data on Prevalence of Different Substances:
- According to SAMHSA’s 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, about 6.3% of Michigan residents ages 12 and older had a substance use disorder in the past year.
- This includes 4.7% with an alcohol use disorder, 2.31% with an illicit drug use disorder, and 0.95% with both alcohol and illicit drug use disorders.
Addiction Treatment Overview
Inpatient Treatment
- Inpatient treatment involves living at a treatment facility for 24/7 monitoring and access to medical and clinical care. Typical stays range from 30 to 90 days.
Outpatient Treatment
- Outpatient treatment allows the patient to live at home while attending structured therapy sessions around 1 to 5 times per week.
Treatment Level Unreported
- It is estimated that only around 10.3% of Michigan residents who need addiction treatment actually receive specialty treatment.
Comparison of Treatment in Commerce Township vs. Neighboring Major City
| Category | Commerce Township | Detroit |
| Number of treatment facilities | 25 | 164 |
| Inpatient beds available | 500 | 3,000 |
| Cost of 30 days inpatient treatment | $15,000 | $10,000 |
Methadone Treatment
What is Methadone
- Methadone is a long-acting opioid agonist medication used to treat opioid use disorder and dependence.
- As medication-assisted treatment (MAT), methadone helps prevent withdrawal symptoms and drug cravings by activating opioid receptors in the brain, reducing illicit opioid use.
- Opioid treatment programs (OTPs) provide methadone doses daily for stabilized treatment plans.
- Societal perspectives on methadone treatment are mixed – while it does help many people recover, some view it as merely replacing one opioid addiction with another. However, research shows methadone maintenance is effective when properly monitored.
Methadone Distribution
OTPs must follow strict federal and state regulations in distributing methadone:
- Urine testing:
- Methadone maintenance patients must undergo at least eight random drug tests in the first year of treatment to detect illicit drug use.
- Take-home requirements:
- During the first 14 days of treatment, the take-home methadone Supply is limited to a one-day (24-hour) dose.
- Monitoring:
- Methadone treatment programs should have an interprofessional team including counselors, social workers, and medical staff to coordinate care.
- Prescription drug monitoring:
- Clinicians should review prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP) data to carefully cross-reference other opioid medications, as methadone has a narrow therapeutic window.
In Commerce Township, Oakland County, Michigan, methadone is a Schedule 2 controlled prescription substance monitored by the state PDMP and federal agencies.
Methadone Treatment Effectiveness Research
Methadone is an effective medication for treating opioid use disorder that has been used since 1947. Studies show:
- Evidence for Effectiveness:
- 33% fewer opioid-positive drug tests for methadone patients
- 4.44 times more likely to stay in treatment long-term
- Retention in treatment reduces overdose/disease risk and increases employment
However, there are also major potential drawbacks:
- Potential for misuse/diversion
- Severe withdrawal if stopped suddenly
- Possible QTc prolongation/cardiac issues
- Respiratory depression/overdose risk when combined with other substances
Comparison to Other Medications:
Methadone is equally effective as buprenorphine for reducing illicit opioid use.
Conclusion:
Methadone has demonstrated benefits but also risks requiring careful management.
About Commerce Township
Commerce Township is located in southeastern Oakland County, Michigan, United States. Oakland County borders the following counties and states:
- Genesee County, Michigan
- Lapeer County, Michigan
- Macomb County, Michigan
- Wayne County, Michigan
- Livingston County, Michigan
- Shiawassee County, Michigan
The capital and largest city in Michigan is Detroit. Commerce Township has a total land area of 31.43 square miles.
Population Statistics
As of the 2020 census, the population of Commerce Township was 45,499.
Demographics:
- Gender
- Male: 50.1%
- Female: 49.9%
- Age brackets
- Under 18 years: 26.4%
- 18 to 64 years: 57.2%
- 65 years and over: 16.4%
- Occupations
- Management, business, science and arts occupations: 43.3%
- Sales and office occupations: 24.2%
- Service occupations: 15.2%
- Production, transportation, material moving occupations: 17.3%