Methadone clinic laws
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2018
Posts: 1
Methadone clinic laws
i hope someone can help me. I’ve been a patient at a methadone clinic in California for over 2 years now. California State Medicaid fully covers my treatment but the clinic I attend makes us do “counseling” once a week. I’ve had over 6 different “counselors” in the 2 years I’ve been there & it’s basically just BS. It’s no counseling, no talk of recovery or addiction, etc. They’ve recently implemented a rule that if you miss your “counseling” you have to sit for 2 hours every single day on standby for a “counselor” if someone doesn’t show up for their apt. I missed Monday. I sat for 2 hours Monday & again 2 hours today. I cannot do this tomorrow, I have a job! They told me if I don’t they won’t medicate me. How can this be legal?? Please help! How they can they bill the state, yet randomly make up rules? Please help!!
Forum Leader
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Wisconsin, USA
Posts: 16,945
Welcome to SR. I'd suggest you speak with an attorney if you have a question about how the law works. And if you are having problems with the counseling services I would let someone know. Sometimes counseling seems like "BS" but it really can be helpful.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 4,251
Hi and welcome to the site.
I've got a two-fold response to your post. First, I totally get what you are saying about the counselling. My experience differs in that I am in an entirely different country and I have gone and am now currently going to a clinic for a different addiction, alcohol. However, where I go is also a methadone clinic and they deal with a wide variety of addictions. My initial intake included complete bloodwork and detox meds. All free, provided by the national healthcare system. I was then assigned the counselling sessions. I am very much pro counselling, but the sessions at the clinic are ridiculous. I was told to make a list of 50 things I like about myself, I was assigned a CHILDREN'S fairy tale book to read and then had to discuss how I saw myself in the tragic princess featured in the tale, another book about animals and such... nothing that I felt helped me fight my addiction in any way or even make me feel better as a person.
BUT. I was appreciative of the other services being offered to me- FOR FREE- such as the doctor's check ups, the detox meds, the craving medication and antabuse.
I am now currently back at the center for twice weekly ETG urine tests for alcohol to help prove my sobriety (and hold me accountable) in a nasty custody battle. I am so thankful I can go there and vent to the doctor, have my very high tech urine tests done FOR FREE, and get support from the other staff if I need it. They also have someone from social services on staff who I have been able to meet with to clarify some issues regarding my rights as a recovering alcoholic parent. Really fantastic and relieving information and help at zero cost to me.
So, if part of the process is attending these counselling sessions so be it. I find them to be frankly useless and an annoying waste of my time. But I remind myself each time I go that I got myself into this mess and there are prices to pay to get out of it.
I know it is frustrating. I also understand that it is difficult with work and other obligations on your time. But those things said I'd advise you to suck it up and consider it your payment for the other, more useful service you are receiving, that of the free methadone.
Try hard not to miss your appointments so you don't have to do the two hour wait thing. Also, I am not sure what your attitude is going in, but maybe if you put on a brave, cooperative face and soften up to these people you can talk to them seriously about your work schedule and see if you can work out times that suit you better.
Best of luck.
I've got a two-fold response to your post. First, I totally get what you are saying about the counselling. My experience differs in that I am in an entirely different country and I have gone and am now currently going to a clinic for a different addiction, alcohol. However, where I go is also a methadone clinic and they deal with a wide variety of addictions. My initial intake included complete bloodwork and detox meds. All free, provided by the national healthcare system. I was then assigned the counselling sessions. I am very much pro counselling, but the sessions at the clinic are ridiculous. I was told to make a list of 50 things I like about myself, I was assigned a CHILDREN'S fairy tale book to read and then had to discuss how I saw myself in the tragic princess featured in the tale, another book about animals and such... nothing that I felt helped me fight my addiction in any way or even make me feel better as a person.
BUT. I was appreciative of the other services being offered to me- FOR FREE- such as the doctor's check ups, the detox meds, the craving medication and antabuse.
I am now currently back at the center for twice weekly ETG urine tests for alcohol to help prove my sobriety (and hold me accountable) in a nasty custody battle. I am so thankful I can go there and vent to the doctor, have my very high tech urine tests done FOR FREE, and get support from the other staff if I need it. They also have someone from social services on staff who I have been able to meet with to clarify some issues regarding my rights as a recovering alcoholic parent. Really fantastic and relieving information and help at zero cost to me.
So, if part of the process is attending these counselling sessions so be it. I find them to be frankly useless and an annoying waste of my time. But I remind myself each time I go that I got myself into this mess and there are prices to pay to get out of it.
I know it is frustrating. I also understand that it is difficult with work and other obligations on your time. But those things said I'd advise you to suck it up and consider it your payment for the other, more useful service you are receiving, that of the free methadone.
Try hard not to miss your appointments so you don't have to do the two hour wait thing. Also, I am not sure what your attitude is going in, but maybe if you put on a brave, cooperative face and soften up to these people you can talk to them seriously about your work schedule and see if you can work out times that suit you better.
Best of luck.
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,416
Hi and welcome methadonehelp 
I have no experience to share but based on other posts I've read it seems likely the clinic can implement whatever rules it likes.
Is there someone at the clinic you can talk to - like a manager or something?
D
I have no experience to share but based on other posts I've read it seems likely the clinic can implement whatever rules it likes.
Is there someone at the clinic you can talk to - like a manager or something?
D
Currently Active Users Viewing this Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
