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HELENA, Mont., Oct. 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- When the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) updated their recommendations governing Opioid Treatment Programs (OTPs) in April 2024, Montana was among the first to implement significant changes for OTPs in the state. Community Medical Services (CMS) currently provides care to Montana residents at 4 clinics, (Billings, Bozeman, Kalispell and Missoula), and has been working to adjust their clinical guidance to institute these changes aimed at improving patient safety and retention in treatment programs. This is a crucial step forward in addressing the opioid epidemic, providing more effective care for individuals struggling with opioid use disorder. Extended Take-Home Doses Under the new rules, patients are no longer required to come to a clinic at the same frequency as they have historically needed to. Medical providers can determine the appropriate number of take-home doses based on individual patient needs and criteria, including: Absence of active substance use disorders or other health conditions that increase the risk of patient harm Regular attendance for supervised medication administration Absence of serious behavioral problems Absence of known recent diversion activity Safe transportation and storage of take-home medication Higher Initial Dosing The initial dose of methadone, which was historically capped on the first day, can now be titrated more quickly at the medical provider's discretion, allowing patients with higher opioid tolerance to get to a therapeutic dose more quickly. This change acknowledges the varying levels of opioid tolerance among patients, exacerbated by the increased presence of fentanyl in the illicit drug supply, and enables medical providers to tailor treatment to individual needs. Drug Screens The presence of unprescribed amphetamine or cocaine on drug screen results will no longer be the sole limiting factor to requiring patients to not have to come into clinics daily, unless it increases the risk of overdose. This change recognizes that patients with opioid use disorder may also struggle with other substance use disorders and requires medical providers to assess each patient's unique situation. Conclusion The SAMHSA Final Rule changes mark a crucial step forward in enhancing Opioid Treatment Programs in Montana. By providing more flexible and individualized treatment options, these changes aim to improve patient safety and retention, decrease daily patient volumes at clinics, and ultimately support individuals in their journey towards recovery. How CMS is Implementing SAMHSA's Changes At its 4 clinics in Montana, CMS has proactively implemented the SAMHSA Final Rule changes. Our approach focuses on balancing patient safety with reducing barriers to treatment, ensuring that any changes benefit our patients and their recovery outcomes. Triweekly dosing—allowing patients to come to the clinic only three times per week—has become the new standard. This means that most patients, even those who might test positive for stimulants or miss some clinic days, are not required to visit the clinic more than three times a week. For patients who meet certain stability criteria, the option to advance to weekly clinic visits is available after just two weeks of triweekly dosing. This provides immense relief to patients who previously struggled to balance daily trips to the clinic with their other responsibilities, such as work or family. Visit the CMS blog on our website for a complete review by our Chief Science Officer, Dr. Robert Sherrick, of how we are taking an active step toward implementing these changes and seeing early positive results Media Contact: John Koch- Director Public Relations [email protected] 2827 Fort Missoula Rd, Missoula, MT 59804 8707 Jackrabbit Ln Suite D, Belgrade, MT 59714 2415 S Catlin St, Missoula, MT 59801 795 Sunset Blvd F, Kalispell, MT 59901 2040 Rosebud Dr, Billings, MT 59102 2827 Fort Missoula Rd, Missoula, MT 59804 SOURCE Community Medical Services WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM? 440k+ Newsrooms & Influencers 9k+ Digital Media Outlets 270k+ Journalists Opted In GET STARTED

SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A study published in JAMA Network Open , led by Andrew Huhn, PhD, MBA, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Kelly Dunn, PhD, MBA, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and co-authored by Millennium Health researchers, illustrates striking increases in the amounts of illicit fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine detected in urine drug testing (UDT) specimens since 2013. The analysis showed that the concentrations of fentanyl and methamphetamine were 8.3 and 5.2 times higher, respectively, in 2023 compared to 2013 (Figure). Cocaine concentrations also doubled across this time period, whereas those for heroin fell by more than half. The JAMA Network Open article can be accessed here . “Fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine concentrations are higher now relative to any time in the past decade, suggesting that the people who are using these drugs are doing so in larger quantities and/or with greater frequency now,” said Huhn. “The findings also demonstrate that aggregated, quantitative UDT data offer a scalable surveillance method that can provide swift and nimble feedback on real-time changes in drug exposure levels as well as emerging threats, like xylazine, that are not routinely captured by other methods,” he added. The analysis of 921,931 unique patient UDT specimens collected in substance use disorder treatment settings across the U.S. also evaluated how these concentrations have changed in different parts of the country. With a few exceptions (e.g., greater methamphetamine concentrations in the West and part of the South, largely stable heroin concentrations in the West), changes in drug exposure concentrations have been relatively similar across the U.S. over time. “These findings reveal that the drug use epidemic is evolving not only in terms of what drugs are being used but how much drug is being used ,” said Millennium Health Chief Clinical Officer Angela Huskey, PharmD, CPE. “This is the most granular assessment of drug use patterns in the U.S. to date and highlights an important, underappreciated nuance about drug use that may affect overdose risk and other clinically relevant phenomena.” About Millennium Health Millennium Health is an accredited specialty laboratory with over 15 years of experience in drug testing . We provide objective information about patients’ recent use of prescription medications and/or illicit drugs which helps clinicians monitor and treat millions of Americans living with chronic pain, substance use disorders, mental health disorders or other health conditions. Our ability to monitor drug use trends allows us to alert clinicians, health agencies and others to real-time drug use changes to help inform more targeted drug overdose prevention and response strategies to save lives. Contacts MEDIA CONTACT: Jody Schneider Millennium Health Jody.Schneider@millenniumhealth.com 619-917-6810