While the battle between proponents and opponents of MAT (Medication Assisted Treatment) for addiction rages on, the science supporting the use of medications like methadone and buprenorphine to treat SUD continues to pile up. It seems that, love it or hate it, MAT is here to stay.
What does that mean for your sober living home?
Are you already allowing MAT patients at your facility?
If so, there’s a few adjustments you’ll need to make to be sure that you support these residents’ recovery as best as you can - without compromising the recovery of other residents and without breaking any state or federal laws.
Today, we’ll look at the top three mistakes we see sober living home operators making when it comes to accommodating MAT patients and what can be done to fix the situation so that your sober living home can be a place where all people in recovery thrive.
Sober Living Home MAT Mistake #1: Banning MAT Patients from your Facility
Historically speaking, MAT was not welcomed in the traditional abstinence-based recovery community. MAT was developed by scientists and researchers outside of the insular recovery community and it was seen as a threat to achievement of “real” recovery by many professionals.
Today, while the 12 steps are still going strong in the recovery community, many addiction treatment professionals have accepted the evidence that MAT does indeed help people with SUD reclaim control of their lives. Within the community, a growing acceptance of MAT has led to a redefinition of what words like “sober,” “abstinent” and “recovery” really mean.
The decision to allow MAT patients at your sober living home is ultimately up to you but regardless of your beliefs around the issue, it’s important to note that many legal observers have opined that MAT patients are a part of a protected class. It’s not inconceivable that there may be legal consequences for discriminating against those who chose to make MAT a part of their recovery sooner or later. Ban MAT patients and it’s possible that you may run afoul of the the Fair Housing Act (FHA) or the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Sober Living Home MAT Mistake #2: Failing to Provide for Safe Medication Storage
Safe storage and dosage of MAT medications is critical, especially at sober living homes.
“Take homes” should always be stored in the lockbox that medical professionals are required to issue them in. However, those lockboxes are small, vulnerable to theft and are always accessible to the intended patient, who will almost always have the code or key required for entry. For these reasons, many sober living homes have additional rules around keeping medications safe from diversion and abuse.
One option is to create a dedicated “med room” for storing medications. Others designate a locked cabinet for secure storage as an additional deterrent. Many sober living homes require supervision around dosing, especially if the resident is new to the home, new to recovery or new to MAT.
Sober Living Home MAT Mistake #3: Singling Out MAT Patients
MAT patients are acutely aware that they are not welcomed by all in the recovery community. The stigma around MAT frequently extends to the patient’s family and friends. Many MAT patients struggle with negative self-talk for needing to resort to medication to help control their disease.
As a sober living home operator, it’s important to ensure that MAT patients stay safe while also minimizing their “difference” among other residents. Do not make MAT patients wear buttons or put special markings on their room highlighting their medication status (yes, this has really happened). If you are doing supervised dosing, avoid creating a public spectacle around dosing times by administering medications in a private or semi-private place within the home with little fanfare.
We’re Here to Help Your Sober Living Home Manage MAT
Allowing MAT patients into your sober living home introduces new administrative and clinical tasks that can quickly overwhelm even the most organized sober living home manager.
At Sober Living App, we have all the built-in functionality you need to help you and your residents keep track of doses, doctors, appointments and clinics.
Our platform is simple, powerful and intuitive, saving your operation time, money and sanity.