Section 715.24. Narcotic detoxification

If a narcotic treatment program provides narcotic detoxification services, the narcotic treatment program shall develop and implement narcotic detoxification policies and procedures which include the following:

(1) For narcotic detoxification from methadone or any other narcotic, the detoxification service may not exceed 180 days.

(2) For calculating the 1-year narcotic dependency history required for admission to maintenance treatment, the narcotic detoxification period may not be included.

(3) A 1-year physiologic dependence is not required for narcotic detoxification although documentation of current dependency is required.

(4) Minimum requirements for short-term narcotic detoxification treatment are as follows:

(i) Take-home medication is not allowed during a 30-day narcotic detoxification treatment. A narcotic treatment program shall observe the patient ingesting the medication 7 days per week.

(ii) The narcotic treatment program shall perform an initial drug screening test or analysis.

(iii) The narcotic treatment program shall develop a treatment plan. The patient’s counselor shall monitor the patient’s progress toward the goal of short-term narcotic detoxification and possible drug-free treatment referral.

(iv) No narcotic treatment program may provide short-term narcotic detoxification treatment to an individual until at least 7 days after the conclusion of any previous short-term narcotic detoxification treatment.

(5) Minimum requirements for long-term detoxification treatment are as follows:

(i) A narcotic treatment program shall administer medication to allow a patient to attain drug-free status and to make progress in rehabilitation within 180 days or less.

(ii) A narcotic treatment program shall perform an initial drug screening test or analysis. A narcotic treatment program shall perform at least one additional random test or analysis monthly on each patient during long-term narcotic detoxification.

(iii) The narcotic treatment program shall develop an initial treatment plan, and update the plan monthly.

(iv) A narcotic treatment program shall observe the patient while ingesting the medication at least 6 days a week.

(v) No narcotic treatment program may provide long-term narcotic detoxification treatment to an individual until at least 7 days after the conclusion of any previous narcotic detoxification treatment.