Section 325.14417. Take-home medication; procedures, exceptions.

(1) A client who is in maintenance treatment shall ingest the drug under observation daily or not less than 6 days a week for a minimum of the first 3 months.

(2)   If, in the judgment of the program physician, a client demonstrates satisfactory adherence to program rules for not less than  3  months;   has made substantial  progress in rehabilitation; is responsible  in  the handling of methadone; and is  working, enrolled in an   educational  or training program, or has homemaking responsibilities, and if the client's rehabilitative progress will be enhanced by decreasing the frequency of clinic attendance, the client may be permitted to reduce the frequency of clinic attendance for drug ingestion under observation to 3 times weekly. Such a client shall not receive more than  a  2-day  take-home   supply  of methadone.

(3)   If, in the judgment of the program physician, a client demonstrates satisfactory adherence to program rules for not less than 2 years from the time of entrance into the program; has made  substantial   progress  in rehabilitation; is responsible   in  the handling of  methadone;   and  is

working, enrolled in an educational or training program, or has homemaking responsibilities, and if the client's rehabilitative progress will be enhanced by decreasing the frequency of clinic attendance, the client may be permitted to reduce the frequency of clinic  attendance   for  drug ingestion under observation to twice weekly. Such a client shall not receive more than a 3-day take-home supply of methadone.

(4)   In calculating 2 years of  methadone  maintenance  treatment, the period shall be considered to begin upon the first day of administration of methadone or upon readmission of a client who has had a continuous absence of 90 days or more. Cumulative time spent by the client  in   more than 1 program shall be counted toward the 2 years of treatment,   unless there has been a continuous absence of 90 days or more.

(5)   If a client is found to have a physical disability which interferes with his or her ability to conform to the applicable mandatory schedule, he or she may be permitted a temporarily or permanently reduced schedule if he or she is also found to be responsible in  the  handling  of   methadone as specified in R 325.14416 (3)(a) to (k).

(6)    If because of exceptional circumstances, such as illness or personal or family crisis,  a  client  is  unable  to   conform  to    the   applicable mandatory schedule, he or she may be permitted a temporarily reduced schedule if he or she is also found to be responsible in the  handling   of methadone as specified in R 325.14416 (3)(a)  to  (k). In  any  event,  a client shall not be given more than a 1-week supply of  methadone  at one time without the prior approval of the state methadone authority and the food and drug administration.

History: 1981 AACS.