Mid Coast Hospital launched a stimulants use disorder treatment program last week, making it the first of its kind in the state.
A small group of people began receiving treatment at Mid Coast Hospital Addiction Resource Center on May 30. The initiative, which was two years in the making, is a pilot program that aims to address abuse of stimulants, such as amphetamines or cocaine. A spokesperson for the hospital stated that the program is expected to treat approximately 30 people this year.
Clinical Director Christine Wyman said she noticed an increase in stimulant use disorders over the past several years, driving her and other MaineHealth professionals to look into treatments. As a result, Mid Coast Hospital adopted a program modeled off of similar initiatives in California.
“We found that there is no medication available to treat stimulant use disorder,” Wyman said. “Contingency management is the only behavioral intervention demonstrated through research to be effective.”
Contingency management is a treatment method that uses positive reinforcement to address stimulant use. This style of treatment is the only method that produces “robust outcomes” for those with stimulant use disorders, according to the California Department of Health Care Services, an entity that runs a similar program.
Mid Coast Hospital said that in its program, patients will provide urine samples and receive incentives if results come back negative. Typically, the hospital said, rewards will come in the form of gift cards — ones that cannot be swapped for cash and or used to purchase alcohol, marijuana, tobacco or firearms. The incentives, she said, would not be issued as physical cards but instead would be distributed through methods like codes that cannot be used on forbidden products.
While other incentives aimed at combating substance use disorders exist through Medicaid, federal regulations cap incentives at $75 per year, which the hospital said is not enough for sufficient treatment. At Mid Coast, patients can receive a max incentive of $599, which would be dispersed over 36 visits within 24 weeks, according to Wyman.
The hospital was able to provide a higher incentive because it secured grant funding through MaineHealth Innovation Center. It also said that administrative costs are paid for by the Department of Health and Human Services.
“The incentive needs to be meaningful for the patient and is most effective if patients are eligible for at least $500 a year per patient,” Wyman said.
For those struggling with addiction, the Addiction Resource Center at Mid Coast Hospital can be reached at 373-6950 or toll free at 800-244-3805. The center also takes walk-ins from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
More information about substance use treatment programs can be found at mainehealth.org.
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