Don't Give Up Before the Miracle Happens.

The best prognostic indicator for success in an Opioid Treatment Program (OTP) is the length of time in treatment - the longer, the better.  That is why at the Morse Clinics, we try not discharge people off the program for using.  Continued use usually means people need a higher dose, not less.  Sometimes it takes some people longer to get clean and sober than others.  Recovery is not a sprint, it is a marathon.   Same is true for NA.  Keep coming back.  It works, if you work it.  So long as the risks clearly do not outweigh the benefits (that folks do not continually show up intoxicated at our OTP), we do not kick people out for using.  We may insist on people going up to a higher level of care (an intensive outpatient program or inpatient treatment), when still using on top of our medication (methadone or buprenorphine) but we will continue to dose folks while in the higher level of care.  We want to retain our patients; because that is what the medical evidence tells us is the right thing to do! We won’t give up, if you don’t give up before the miracle happens.