If you’re looking for opiate treatment in San Antonio, TX or anywhere in the Bexar County area, there are several options available. The State of Texas has been proactive going back as early as the late 1930s in establishing programs for alcohol and drug abuse treatment. It was really former governor Ann Richards in the 1990s—herself a self-proclaimed alcoholic—who got the ball rolling and updated programs.
With the increase in narcotic addiction, options for opiate treatment in San Antonio have never been better. If your pain pill or heroin abuse has landed you in front of a judge, consider some of these options.
Bexar County Felony Drug Court
Like it or not, arrest for use of opiates means felony charges against you. There are increasing numbers of judges, however, who recognize that someone needs treatment for addiction rather than incarceration for a crime. If your crime was committed to aid or further your use of opiates, then your options for opiate treatment in San Antonio may include the Drug Court.
You will have to attend Drug Court weekly or monthly for up to 24 months. Part of the treatment may likely include intensive outpatient (IOP) counseling, which means you will be referred to a clinic that provides opiate treatment in San Antonio. IOP counseling requires attendance at least three times per week. You’re probably groaning right now, but it’s better than jail.
Not all judges believe in the use of methadone for opiate abuse, but federal guidelines approve medication-assisted therapy. If the judge hesitates, ask your lawyer to cite this government recommendation.
TAIP for Opiate Treatment in San Antonio
TAIP stands for Treatment Alternatives to Incarceration Program. If you are approved for the Bexar County TAIP program, your treatment level will be determined by a TAIP counselor. This could mean anything from outpatient sessions to IOP to residential treatment. If you want methadone or Suboxone treatment for your opiate addiction and the judge agrees, the TAIP counselor may very well refer you to a methadone clinic.
Once you enter the TAIP program it will be the counselor there who determines your treatment level rather than the judge. Much like the drug court, the TAIP officer communicates directly with a licensed treatment counselor assigned to your case. Those enrolled in TAIP programs, whether the need is for alcohol, cocaine, or opiate treatment, are much less likely to be re-arrested in the future.
Online Drug Classes
Bexar County is one of the nation’s locations that may consider assigning you to take an online drug course in lieu of jail time. The courses run from 8 hours to 32 hours, costing up to $375. Your eligibility depends upon the exact reason why you were arrested. Most often, people in need of opiate treatment in San Antonio end up in a treatment program, but it’s worth your while to explore this option.
12-Step Groups
Find an NA or AA group that suits your needs. Many people taking methadone find that AA groups are more accepting of their medication-assisted treatment option than NA. However, try both types of meetings until you find one with people that you click with. Presently, there is no Methadone Anonymous group for those seeking an opiate treatment support group in San Antonio.
Be the One to Choose Your Own Treatment
If you’ve been arrested for opiate abuse, don’t you think it’s time to get some help? Even before you appear in court, make a phone call to your local methadone clinic. For people in places like San Antonio, opiate treatment using methadone has a much higher success rate than opiate treatment without.
Your first step will be scheduling an assessment. Some clinics have a waiting list to actually begin medication-assisted treatment, so don’t procrastinate. The judge may be more lenient if you have begun recovery work by the time you go to court, attending 12-step meetings and showing sincerity in your treatment.
Methadone therapy means that you enter into a program supervised by a physician, and you take medication that helps you deal with your cravings and withdrawal symptoms. Many heroin addicts suffer from infectious diseases like hepatitis, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS, and you’ll be checked for that. Every time you go to the clinic, a nurse will ask you how you feel. The clinic people strive to get you at just the right medication dosage. And you will, of course, have to take both regular and random urine screens.
Many people go into treatment because they’ve been backed into a legal corner, but once they begin they are eager to continue. If you begin treatment but you don’t follow through with program requirements, chances are the program will taper you off of methadone and leave you back where you started. They will report your failure to the court.
You should also be aware that you won’t be accepted into a methadone program immediately if you are taking benzodiazepines or using alcohol regularly. The combination of methadone with either of those substances can be deadly. You’ll need to go through detox because it’s physically dangerous to suddenly stop drinking or taking benzodiazepines. Seizures or worse can occur, so your first stop in San Antonio for opiate treatment may be at a detox center for a few days.
If you go into treatment at the behest of Drug Court or TAIP, you are almost twice more likely to stay in treatment than if you go on your own. But what do you have to lose? Treatment won’t work unless you are committed to it, but the treatment counselors will help you recognize the issues in your life that led you to addiction in the first place.
You will discover the triggers that make you think about using. You will learn how to improve your relationships with others, and you’ll like yourself better. Because of the medical care you’re receiving, you’ll feel healthier. Getting a job or continuing your education will be easier when you aren’t preoccupied with getting your next fix. Opiate treatment in San Antonio is not without options, but none of them will work in your favor unless you make the first phone call.
