Bladenboro and Bladen County adhere to strict federal and state regulations regarding methadone clinics, as outlined by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. All clinics must be certified and meet standards of care.
Certification Procedures:
- Clinics must be certified by SAMHSA
- Staff must meet educational and licensing requirements
- Medication dispensing must follow DEA regulations
Benefits of Medication-Assisted Treatment:
- Methadone and buprenorphine effectively treat opioid addiction
- Clinics provide counseling and community resources
- Treatment improves health outcomes and lowers risk of overdose
How Clinics Operate and Their Purpose:
- Methadone clinics provide medication, counseling, case management and referrals. Their purpose is to treat opioid addiction through evidence-based interventions, with a goal of recovery and improved wellbeing.
Insurance Coverage
- Many clinics accept Medicaid, Medicare and private insurance.
- Uninsured patients may qualify for state funding or clinic payment plans based on income.
Drug Use in Bladenboro
According to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, the opioid epidemic has been declared a statewide public health emergency. Key statistics for Bladen County include:
- 130 emergency department visits for opioid overdoses in 2021
- 14 opioid overdose deaths in 2021
The most widely used substances in the county based on admissions data are:
- Alcohol
- Opioids
- Marijuana
- Cocaine
Addiction Treatment Overview in Bladenboro
Inpatient Treatment
- Typically 28-30 days in accredited facility
- 24/7 medical monitoring and counseling
- Group and individual therapy
Outpatient Treatment
- Sessions 1-5 times per week depending on needs
- Provided by clinics, practices, community health centers
- Individual and group counseling
Treatment Level Unreported
- Estimated 30-40% of addicts in county may be untreated
- Stigma, cost, lack of providers contribute to gap
Comparison to Neighboring Major City
| Category | Bladenboro/Bladen County | Fayetteville, NC |
| Treatment Centers | 3 | 12 |
| Inpatient Beds | 18 | 154 |
| Cost of Treatment | $5,000/month | $7,500/month |
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 through a daily oral dose administered under supervision at opioid treatment programs (OTPs).
Societal perspectives on methadone treatment range from seeing it as lifesaving addiction treatment to potentially replacing one opioid dependence with another. However, research shows methadone maintenance is an evidence-based treatment for opioid addiction when properly monitored.
Methadone Distribution
Methadone distribution is highly regulated with required monitoring to prevent misuse:
- Urine testing: Methadone maintenance patients must undergo at least eight random drug tests in the first year of treatment to detect additional substance use.
- Take-home requirements: During the first 14 days of treatment, the take-home methadone Supply is limited to a single 24-hour dose, with more take-home doses allowed over time for stable patients.
- Monitoring: Methadone treatment programs should have an interprofessional team overseeing dosing, counseling, and coordinating care.
- Prescription drug monitoring: Clinicians should review state prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP) data to carefully cross-reference other opioid medications a patient receives along with methadone, which has a narrow therapeutic window.
In North Carolina, methadone is a Schedule II controlled substance allowing use only for medical treatment with strict oversight.
Methadone Treatment Effectiveness Research
Methadone is an effective medication for treating opioid use disorder that has been used since 1947.
- Studies show methadone reduces opioid use, disease transmission, and crime for people with addiction.
- People in methadone treatment have 33% fewer opioid-positive drug tests and are 4.44 times more likely to stay in treatment compared to no medication.
- Retention in treatment reduces overdose risk, HIV risk behaviors, and unemployment while increasing employment.
However, methadone does carry risks including potential for misuse/diversion and severe withdrawal if stopped suddenly.
- Methadone can also prolong the QT interval on electrocardiograms, increasing the risk for dangerous heart rhythms.
- As an opioid, methadone retains intrinsic risks of respiratory depression and overdose when combined with alcohol or benzodiazepines, requiring careful patient monitoring and education.
Research shows methadone and buprenorphine are equally effective for reducing illicit opioid use and retaining people in treatment.
But ultimately, the benefits of MAT with methadone for treating opioid addiction outweigh the risks when it is properly prescribed and monitored.
Conclusion
Methadone maintenance is beneficial but requires careful management due to risks.
About Bladenboro
Bladenboro is a town located in Bladen County, North Carolina, United States.
Neighboring states are: South Carolina, Georgia.
The capital and largest city of North Carolina is Raleigh. Bladenboro has a total area of 2.1 square miles.
Population Statistics
Total population
The population of Bladenboro was 1,674 at the 2020 United States census.
Demographics:
Gender
- Male: 47.9%
- Female: 52.1%
Age brackets
- Under 18 years: 20.4%
- 18 to 64 years: 53.1%
- 65 years and over: 26.5%
Occupations:
Top occupations in Bladenboro include education, training, library, arts, design, entertainment, sports, media; office and administrative support; sales; healthcare practitioners, technical and support.