Medication Assisted Treatment models are considered an “Evidenced-Based Best Practice” for opioid addictions. Medications are used to eliminate or decrease the withdrawal symptoms, and end the obsessive search for opioids just to “stay well.”

The quality of life improvement based on medications is significant. Under medical supervision, and with the support of The Life Change Center’s entire team, there is structured dispensing of:

• Methadone
• Buprenorphine
• Vivitrol & Naltrexone
• Narcan/Naloxonee

In this program, medication (either methadone or buprenorphine) is taken daily for a period of time not to exceed three weeks. This protocol is not appropriate for all people seeking treatment. The design is to complete the medical portion of treatment before the person develops a tolerance to the new medication, therefore ameliorating the risk of withdrawal symptoms related to the new medication.

Essentially, Medically Supervised Withdrawal (MSW) is a long term detoxification program. People on an MSW program will start medication and increase their medicine level until they are stable (Low or no withdrawals and no narcotic effect). While at this point of stability, they will work with their counselor and the medical personnel to create a recovery plan and start the titration (weaning off of) process. The MSW is a longer detox and is designed to limit the experience of withdrawal symptoms. The people engaging in the MSW programs at The Life Change Center have the highest success rates.

In this program, the medication is initiated and then increased to bring the individual to a point of medical stabilization. Similar to the MSW protocol except there is not a focus of titration at the time of admission. People on the maintenance programs work with their counselors and the medical personnel to develop a recovery plan that often includes goals of starting titration after certain events have occurred (i.e holding a full-time job for six-months).

Medication alone is not enough. Addiction is not simply a physical problem. Combining medications with counseling promotes for the highest likelihood of successful recovery. Our recovery program includes individual and group counseling.

Counseling empowers the individual to develop a realistic and effective recovery plan. Counseling provides:

• Insight into the underlying conditions

accounting for the addiction

• A safe and judgment-free relationship
• Opportunities to increase understanding of addiction and recovery
• Support and tools for the process of recovery

The Life Change Center is unique in Northern Nevada, our programs and services are specifically designed to variety of needs related to recovery from opioids. Our counseling staff are experts in helping people with the recovery process.

Many people struggle with addiction because drug use acts to lessen emotional pain associated with behavioral health concerns like depression, anxiety and trauma. in these case, the behavioral health concern is part of the reason why the addiction started. Others find that during their addiction process they have experienced things that have brought them to a point of depression, anxiety or trauma. To help with concerns TLCC offers:

• Psychiatry
• Evaluation for medications
• Emotional wellness and behavioral health counseling
• Therapy by Licensed Clinical Social Workers and Marriage and Family Therapists
• Family Services
• Help with family functioning

Strengthening Families Program

Strengthening Families or SFP is an evidence-based group curriculum that focuses on the resiliency of the child. Families meet for dinner and education weekly. The participants receive education and support in an age-appropriate fashion. The child learns skills and the parents learn how to facilitate the child’s learning at home. This program is complimented by the Women’s Services team working with the family to ascertain the child’s strengths and preferences. This information is coupled with the family’s abilities and then linkages are made to get the child into a community based activity. Funding is made available from the State of Nevada Substance Abuse, Prevention and Treatment Association (SAPTA) to pay for enrollment and other necessities to increase the likelihood that the child will engage in the activities.

SPRING Program

This program offers a positivity-based contingency management system for pregnant women in treatment. this program offers help to pregnant women in preparing for birth, preparing for the first 6-months of mothering and developing skills for parenting and emotional regulation.

One of the foundations of The Life Change Center’s programs is the focus on meeting individuals where they are at and working with them to develop and individualized program of care. The Peer Recovery Specialists or PRSS are individuals with lived experience, training and certification. Their role is to help individuals adjust to the programs at TLCC, support them when they are linking to other services in the community, to advocate for them and to offer support as they are adjusting to a new life of recovery.

Transportation

In cases where an individual needs assistance with transportation to a community provider, our PRSS team is able to provide transportation.

70,00 Americans in 2017
Over 130 Americans a day

Naloxone (Narcan) Distribution & Education

These haunting statistics come from the Center for Disease Control (CDC). The graph refers to a third wave, which accounts for more than half of these deaths. The third wave is fentanyl and carfentanyl. These “super-opioids” have not hit in our community at the same level as it has within the East Coast communities. Unfortunately, it is more likely a matter of when this devastating drug hits Northern Nevada. Because of the high risk of overdose death, the best treatment option for fentanyl is Naloxone or Narcan. The CDC Director states that the use of Narcan should be more common than CPR. Considering the The PRSS team is focused on distribution of life-saving Naloxone (Narcan). The PRSS team wants to get this medication into the hands of drug users and individuals that might be in direct contact with drug users. Trained to provide the proper education, the PRSS team active in developing a system of Narcan/Naloxone availability. please contact them for information on getting some.

Mobile Outreach Team (MORE Team)

If you are a provide of human or health services in Northern Nevada, you are likely that you are seeing more impact of opioid addiction. Please contact us. Our MORE Team can help with linking you patients and clients to our services. The MORE Team members can help with education for your organization.

The MORE Team consists of PRSS and resource specialists. In addition to their work with community providers, the MORE Team helps individuals receiving services from TLCC and those in our Northern Nevada communities. The MORE Team can be reached 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Methadone is a long-acting opiate agonist which has a series of actions similar to those of morphine and other narcotic medications. Yet there are important differences; Methadone has a half-life of ~36 hours, while morphine and many other narcotics have a half-life of ~4 hours. The longer half-life wards off symptoms of opioid withdrawal all day and empowers people to get back into normal life activities without the drug-seeking and drug-using behaviors. In methadone treatment, patients are given enough methadone to ward off opiate withdrawal symptoms, but not enough to induce narcotic effects. In proper doses, methadone does not create euphoria, sedation or analgesia. At a therapeutic level methadone has no adverse effects on motor skills, mental capability or employability.

Buprenorphine is the active ingredient in in the brand-name medication Suboxone or Subutex. Buprenorphine has a long half-life, up to 48 hours. Buprenorphine is a partial opioid agonist, and like methadone when taken once daily it blocks other opioids from attaching to receptors in the brain. Buprenorphine at The Life Change Center is medically supervised and dispensed, and comes with full counseling support. This treatment can reduce or eliminate opioid withdrawal and reduce cravings for drug use open up new energies for rebuilding a healthy life.

There are more similarities than there are difference between methadone and buprenorphine. They are both long-acting opioid agonists medications. Some of the differences between the two include that buprenorphine is a “partial agonist” which refers to the chemical make-up and how the medication attaches to the opioid receptors in the brain. Methadone is a liquid mediation, taken orally while buprenorphine is a sublingual medication. Sublingual medications need to dissolve in the mouth and the medication is absorbed through the mouth lining.
People seeking help at The Life Change Center will be involved in a full substance use disorder assessment and a medical assessment. After consideration, options for treatment are given that will help with the decision regarding medication type, or medically assisted vs. non-medical approaches.

These medications are opioid antagonists; they block the opioid receptors. These medications work well for people with no risk of withdrawal who are experiencing psychological cravings to use opioids. These medications do not help reduce withdrawal symptoms, and should not be taken if there is any risk for withdrawal. Vivitrol is a long-lasting form of Naltrexone and can last up to 28 days.

These medications are used when someone has overdosed, they can literally save someone’s life. The medications are given out by the Peer Recovery Specialists of the Life Change Center. These medications do not need a doctor’s prescription, but require education.  These life-saving medications should be in everyone’s home, please contact our Mobile Outreach Team.

This phase is short, and is designed to guide the recovery program for the first 30 days. For many people this is the hardest phase, but this is where the Hope begins. The steps to take will be made clear and simple, and you will be fully supported.

This is where great things begin; people often experience return of memory and energy levels. It is at this stage where people start to broaden their understandings and clearly conceptualize their options. This is a time where many people engage in frequent group and individual counseling sessions.

After meeting markers set by the individuals involved in our recovery programs, this phase is accented by the move towards independence from the medications. Often we see an increase in counseling during this phase for support.

Medication assisted recovery programs are perhaps best viewed as a bridge between two points, and the goal is to have independence from drugs and medications. Yet, others will need to maintain medications for many years. Our medical staff and counselors can help you determine what may work best for you. For those that complete the medical portion of the recovery program, counseling is designed to address the needs of life without professional or medical supports.

The group menu changes monthly, and there are “closed” process groups not listed on the menu. Please contact one of our trained staff if you have questions.