VENTURA : Addicts’ Program to Limit Methadone
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A county program that began this week will strive to get drug addicts off heroin and subsequent methadone treatment faster so that more people can be helped.
The outpatient program, operating with $310,000 in federal funds by the county’s Alcohol and Drug Programs Department, is located at 955 E. Thompson Blvd. in Ventura.
The program serves 40 addicts at a time, said Stephen Kaplan, director of the department. It will start slowly, adding about five addicts a week.
Those entering the program are given doses of methadone sufficient to eliminate drug cravings for three months, Kaplan said. They also receive other services such as counseling and job training.
After three months, participants must decide whether they are prepared to be weaned from the methadone. If not, they must use their own money to pay for the methadone.
“We have a limited amount of public money available,” Kaplan said. “This opens up a slot for someone else.”
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