5
Treatment Plan
• After discussing the assessment results and treatment choices
with the clinician, it's time to develop the full treatment plan.
• It is common for both the patient and clinician to sign
an agreement about what to expect during treatment.
This can include:
• Treatment goals
• Medications: usually methadone, buprenorphine or
naltrexone for opioid use disorder
• Treatment schedule
• Counseling plan
• Recovery support services
• Patient commitment to cooperate with treatment
• Risks of relapse and other safety concerns.
Patient Participation
• Patient engagement in treatment and recovery improves
outcomes. Treatment should be long term, since addiction is
a chronic disease. For this reason, it is important that patients
work with the clinicians to develop a treatment plan that is
tailored to their needs and goals.
• Patients should expect to be treated with respect and dignity
and have their concerns listened to when starting or changing
the treatment plan.
• To avoid health problems, patients must let their clinicians know
about any other medications they are taking or if they drink
alcohol. This is very important – certain medications and alcohol
can cause major problems with treatment medications.
• Common patient responsibilities include:
• Keeping all appointments
• Providing samples for drug testing on a regular basis
• Taking medications as prescribed
• Using only medications that are prescribed
• Allowing and encouraging involvement of supportive
family and friends
• Avoiding persons, places and situations that may put
them at risk of relapse.
