Section 715.9. Intake

(a) Prior to administration of an agent, a narcotic treatment program shall screen each individual to determine eligibility for admission. The narcotic treatment program shall:

(1) Verify that the individual has reached 18 years of age.

(2) Verify the individual’s identity, including name, address, date of birth, emergency contact and other identifying data.

(3) Obtain a drug use history and current drug use status of the individual.

(4) Have a narcotic treatment physician make a face- to-face determination of whether an individual is currently physiologically dependent upon a narcotic drug and has been physiologically dependent for at least 1 year prior to admission for maintenance treatment. The narcotic treatment physician shall document in the patient’s record the basis for the determination of current dependency and evidence of a 1 year history of addiction.

(b) Exceptions to the requirements in subsection (a) are:

(1) A 1 year history of physiologic dependency is not required for detoxification or for pregnant patients.

(2) Upon readmitting a patient who has been out of a narcotic treatment program for 6 months or less after a voluntary termination, the narcotic treatment program shall update the information in and review the patient’s file to show current opiate narcotic dependency, but need not conduct a physical examination and applicable laboratory tests. Privileges earned during the previous treatment may be reinstated at the discretion of the narcotic treatment physician.

(3) A patient who has been treated and later detoxified from comprehensive maintenance treatment may be readmitted to maintenance treatment, without evidence to support findings of current physiologic dependence, up to 2 years after discharge, if the following conditions are met:

(i) The narcotic treatment program attended is able to document prior narcotic drug comprehensive maintenance treatment of 6 months or more.

(ii) The admitting narcotic treatment physician, exercising reasonable clinical judgment, finds readmission to comprehensive maintenance treatment to be medically justified.

(c) If a patient was previously discharged from treatment at another narcotic treatment program, the admitting narcotic treatment program, with patient consent, shall contact the previous facility for the treatment history.

(d) A narcotic treatment program shall explain to each patient treatment options; pharmacology of methadone, LAAM and other agents, including signs and symptoms of overdose and when to seek emergency assistance; detoxification rights; grievance procedures; and clinic charges, including the fee agreement signed by the patient.

(e) A narcotic treatment program shall secure a personal history from the patient within the first week of admission. The personal history shall be made a part of the patient record.