Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT)
Willpower alone rarely wins against opioid or alcohol dependence. Treating it like a character flaw has never been the answer. Medication-assisted treatment pairs FDA-approved medications with counseling and behavioral therapy. It addresses both the physical and psychological sides of addiction at the same time.
At Rebirth Treatment Centers, MAT works alongside our clinical programming, giving clients a fuller toolkit for managing cravings and withdrawal. Medications used in MAT reduce cravings, ease withdrawal symptoms, and lower the risk of relapse or overdose, particularly for opioid and alcohol use disorders where physical dependence runs deep.
How MAT Works
How Medication-Assisted Treatment Works
MAT starts with a medical evaluation. A provider reviews someone’s substance use history, current health status, and any co-occurring conditions before recommending a specific medication and dosage. From there, treatment typically involves regular check-ins to monitor progress, adjust dosages as needed, and watch for side effects.
Medication alone doesn’t make up the full treatment plan. Counseling and therapy run alongside it, addressing the behavioral patterns, triggers, and underlying issues that medication can’t resolve on its own. This combination gives the body room to stabilize while understanding what led to substance use in the first place.
MAT Medications
Common Medications Used in MAT
Different medications treat different substance use disorders, and a provider selects the right one based on someone’s specific situation.
- Buprenorphine, which reduces cravings and withdrawal symptoms with a lower risk of misuse than full opioid agonists
- Methadone, a long-standing option that manages withdrawal and cravings under close medical supervision
- Naltrexone, which blocks the effects of opioids and helps prevent relapse after detox
- Naltrexone, which reduces the rewarding effects of alcohol and helps curb cravings
- Acamprosate, which helps restore chemical balance in the brain after alcohol use stops
- Disulfiram, which creates unpleasant effects if alcohol is consumed, reinforcing abstinence
A provider works with each client to find the medication and dosage that fits their specific needs, adjusting the approach as treatment progresses.
Is MAT Right for You?
Is Medication-Assisted Treatment Right for You?
MAT doesn’t fit every situation the same way, but it tends to help a wide range of people managing opioid or alcohol use disorders.
MAT often makes sense for people who are:
- Experiencing intense cravings or withdrawal symptoms that make traditional therapy alone difficult to sustain
- Managing a long-standing opioid or alcohol use disorder with a history of relapse
- Coming out of medical detox and needing ongoing support to prevent a return to use
- Looking for an approach that addresses the physical side of dependence alongside the psychological work of therapy
A clinical assessment determines whether MAT fits someone’s situation, taking into account their substance use history, health status, and personal treatment goals.
Integrated Care
How Medication-Assisted Treatment Fits Into Rebirth’s Levels of Care
MAT isn’t a standalone track separate from the rest of treatment. It integrates directly into the levels of care we deliver, adjusting as a client moves through their recovery.
MAT can factor into treatment at multiple stages:
- During medical detox, where medications ease withdrawal symptoms under close supervision
- Throughout PHP and IOP, where medication management continues alongside daily or weekly therapy
- Into outpatient care, where MAT often becomes part of long-term maintenance and relapse prevention
Because our clinical team stays connected across every level, medication management doesn’t reset each time someone moves to a different stage of care. The same providers stay informed, keeping the plan consistent from one phase to the next.
Mental Health & MAT
MAT and Co-Occurring Mental Health Conditions
Substance use and mental health conditions show up together often enough that treating them separately rarely produces lasting change. MAT fits into an integrated dual-diagnosis plan when someone is also managing anxiety, depression, or a trauma-related condition alongside their substance use.
In these cases, medication management for the substance use disorder runs alongside psychiatric care addressing the mental health side. A provider monitors both pieces together, watching for interactions between medications and adjusting either treatment as needed. This coordinated approach tends to hold up better over time than managing each condition through separate, disconnected providers.
Sessions build on each other over time, so consistency matters more than any single appointment. Most clients attend IOP for several weeks, with the exact length depending on their progress and clinical needs.
Common Misconceptions
Addressing Common Medication-Assisted Treatment Misconceptions
A handful of myths about MAT keep people from considering an approach that could help them. Here’s what the evidence actually shows.
Medications used in MAT are prescribed and monitored by a medical provider, dosed to stabilize brain chemistry rather than produce a high. Used as directed, they don’t create the same cycle of impairment and compulsive use associated with active addiction.
Treatment length varies by person. Some clients use MAT for a defined period during early recovery, tapering off under medical guidance once they’ve built other coping tools. Others benefit from longer-term use, similar to how someone might manage a chronic health condition. Neither path is more valid than the other.
MAT helps a wide range of people, not just those with the most extreme substance use histories. Anyone managing opioid or alcohol use disorder can benefit from the reduced cravings and withdrawal support MAT offers
Insurance & Coverage
Insurance Coverage for Medication-Assisted Treatment
Most major insurance plans include coverage for medication-assisted treatment, particularly given its recognition as an evidence-based standard of care for opioid and alcohol use disorders. Coverage specifics still vary by provider, plan type, and the particular medication prescribed.
Factors that often affect MAT coverage:
- Whether the prescribing provider is in-network
- Documentation supporting medical necessity from a clinical evaluation
- Plan-specific rules around certain medications, like prior authorization requirements
- Coverage for related services, such as counseling sessions that accompany MAT
Ask About
MAT During Your Assessment
Bringing up medication-assisted treatment during an initial assessment opens the door to a more complete conversation about what recovery could look like. Our clinical team walks through whether MAT fits a person’s situation, answering questions honestly without pushing a predetermined approach.