BILLINGS, Mont. - A new federal guideline adopted in April is providing hope for those struggling with addiction in Montana. This guideline allows patients to take home medication from outpatient clinics, helping them in their recovery journey.
Community Medical Services (CMS) in Billings is one of the clinics implementing this program. Traci Von Schrilitz, CMS Clinic Manager, explained the changes. "Prior to the regulation change, someone new coming in to services would have to come in six days a week to start out, which is quite a bit," she said. Now, patients can gradually reduce their visits as they progress in their recovery.
The program requires patients to meet specific criteria to be eligible. They must avoid using drugs classified as downers, such as barbiturates or benzodiazepines, which could negatively interact with methadone. With the new regulation, patients visit the clinic three times a week for monitored doses and receive a prescription for days they do not attend.
Patients undergo monthly doctor visits and drug screenings to assess their progress. If they show improvement, they can start only coming in to the clinic weekly or even less frequently. Von Schrilitz emphasized the benefits, stating, "A huge part of it is the distance to get here, the commitment to come in six days a week versus now three days a week. We've had a lot of patients come back to treatment, who have left treatment [because] the barrier was just too great for them. [However], we've had people come back to us that had given up before, we have people who are now free of illicit drug use, free of using fentanyl because they could get the methadone more regularly."
CMS also mentioned that methadone can be addictive for some of the patients using it in their treatment. However, they are able to monitor it and see if it's becoming a problem with the monthly doctor visits that patients are required to attend.
Currently, only four clinics in Montana offer methadone, making daily trips challenging for many. The new program allows patients to treat withdrawal symptoms and pursue recovery at the clinic rather than seeking relief elsewhere. Von Schrilitz noted, "That to me is the big change, that people can choose to come get the medication that's being prescribed to them by the provider."
Patients are also required to attend counseling sessions as part of their recovery. Alex Kyser, a CMS patient recovering from heroin addiction, highlighted the importance of counseling. "The counseling is a huge part of it, the medication gets you through the body aches and the pains, but the counseling is what helps the mind heal," he said.
CMS is optimistic that the new regulation will continue to support people in recovery across Montana, enabling them to live their lives while progressing on their recovery journey.
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