Methadone: A Flicker Of Light In The Dark
Methadone: A Flicker Of Light In The Dark
Methadone: A Flicker Of Light In The Dark
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Methadone: A Flicker Of Light In The Dark

To provide a better understanding of the very important role methadone plays in the treatment of addiction.
 
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 Help, my program is disriminating against me.

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ahatzianocl




Female
Number of posts : 2
Location : baltimore
Registration date : 2011-06-25

Help, my program is disriminating against me. Empty
PostSubject: Help, my program is disriminating against me.   Help, my program is disriminating against me. EmptyMon Jun 27, 2011 9:50 pm

Hi, my name is Alicia Hatzianoglou I have visited numerous websites in reference to my rights as a patient in a outpatient MMT facility, and I came across a website that spoke about SAMHSA regulations and guidelines. I apoligize in advance for the email may be alittle lengthy I just want to be honest, and thorough about my situation. I have been a patient of Pine Heights Treatment Center 3455 Wilkens Avenue of Baltimore, Maryland since January 2009. In this time I have not once had a positive urine for any drugs or alcohol of any kind, I have been an ideal patient I attended groups on a weekly basis, and been through numerous couselors due to numerous reasons on the behalf of the program. Now in the 3.6 years of being clean, compliant, respectful and overly patient I did not receive my takehomes in the fashion according to the SAMHSA regulations, so I put in a Grievance stating facts and pleading my case I then was told that I finally stood up for myself and that proved I deserve to gain my takehomes with the background of all the compliance of my responsibilities of a patient of MMT. In fact I was even told by my counselor that I was actually overlooked and he apoligized on the behalf of the program but it really was not him specifically. There is Nurse at Pine Heights whom has taken her position completely out of hand, she is very unprofessional, direspectful, and outright rude which I never tag and just ignore but since I put my grievance in with the key contigancies she was making every little bit remarks and attempts to attack me, in which I had went on a trip and forgot my Takehome dose bottles in my luggage, they were empty and I returned them a few days later, I accepted my responsibility and was given a contract which is the first step for everyone on the program when they DO NOT bring them in at all, and in 3.6 years that was thee first time as I was signing the contract within the same five minutes of me explaining it to my couselor she/Kathy(the nurse) called him from her office and stated I lost my take home priviledges which I only had one, which I had the grievance in just a few days before. So as time went by I had worked on a grievance about me recieving the the take home doses I deserved beings I have been a patient with not ONE dirty urine, never been in trouble, had one on one on a weekly if not bi-weekly basis, attended groups, and everything I did was done in the best interest of my recovery as well as to respect the programs responsibilities however was not recieving any of the benefits in which people who had violated numerous times had. So, as soon as they recieved my second grievance which was last week June 21, 2011. I was accepted for two takehomes and Sundays, they only gave me one of them and I was told the other one I could not get until the following week which I complied because I was happy there was some sort of result to my grievance. Now today 6/27/11 I came in and turned in my one take home and my Sunday, instantly I was taken to Cathy (The Nurse whom acts as if she owns the place) and again was told my takehomes were taken because my takehome bottles were defaced. Which I had washed in my jeans and the wording was still entacted on the one it just had alittle denim coloring on it, and the other one was not removed, you can tell it was washed but the sticker was not removed. And in a very ignorant way with a smirk on her face she says you lost your takehomes for 60 days, I told her I take responsibility for my actions, and just wanted to know how she can just make the decisions without the clinical director which is never there, or the physician, or treatment team its like what she says goes and no one can question it. So after I went out of her office, I came back to ask if I can take a picture of the bottles to show they were not removed and the information was still on them, and she told me "No, I don't have to give you anything and quiet frankly you gave me the perfect excuse." Now Almost every patient there has a problem with Cathy and the way she verdicts everything like a judge with no questions or answers. I just would like to know if you can help me in any information or Federal regulations or guidelines on this discrimination. I do not speak up for myself because I do not want to seem disrespectful, and I never complain but my sobriety and my abiding to this clinic is really getting to me, I feel I deserve as much effort as I put in. Please help me. I have put up with so much at Pine heights and would change but its close to my home. I have done been sexually harrassed by a couselor last year, and told my the following one that I deserved to be raped by my father and when I told the Director Mrs. Hunt she had the three of us sit together and I was called a liar. It is unexceptable and I asked for two years to be detoxed yet they will not put in the paperwork. I have proved time and time again through five counselors and urine tests, and coming daily, and one on ones, and groups that I take my sobriety seriously. I just don't stand up for myself and it really bothers me being taken advantage of by the people who is suppose to coach me through recovery. Please any information or help would be more then helpful, it would be priceless. I thank you for your time, I am sorry this is so long. Have a blessed day. Thank you.
Email - *******


Last edited by lilgirllost on Mon Jun 27, 2011 11:30 pm; edited 1 time in total (Reason for editing : removed email address)
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lilgirllost
Admin
lilgirllost


Female
Number of posts : 863
Age : 51
Location : live in Louisiana but attend MMT clinic in Tx
Job/hobbies : COUPONING & GEOCACHING are my favorite past times but I also love reading and spending time with my husband and kids
Humor : I don't have a sense of humor.............
Registration date : 2009-05-25

Help, my program is disriminating against me. Empty
PostSubject: Re: Help, my program is disriminating against me.   Help, my program is disriminating against me. EmptyMon Jun 27, 2011 11:42 pm

Hello. My name is RuthAnn and I moderate for the forum. I am sorry to hear about what has happened to you and the situation at your clinic.

I will get right down to the point, when you came on at your clinic, did they give you a "patient handbook" or some kind of sheet that explains their take out policy and the schedule that they approve them? I say this because Federal Guidelines are just that, "guidelines" that the clinic has to follow. Each state and then each clinic within the state can have different rules and as long as they are following the MIMIMUM guidelines (which are the Fed Regs) then they are within their "right" to make any other rules, even more stringent rules, than the Fed Regs. That is why I ask if they gave you a handbook or list of patient rules for their specific clinic. Most clinics will have you sign one when you first sign up. If you don't have your copy anymore, they should have a copy in your medical record and you DO have a right to a copy of whatever is in your record.

As for this nurse, have you spoken with the clinic director about her? You said there are other pts who are having trouble with her, are they willing to speak out to the medical director and/or band with you to file a complaint?

In my opinion, it sounds as if she is taking out her anger at you for your first complaint, thus the smirk and the statement about you basically giving her exactly what she needed to "punish" you. Of course they aren't suppose to retaliate against you but you, me and everyone else who has ever gone to a MMT clinic knows they will find ways around that!

I am so sorry about what is happening to you. It is so unfair when a clinic uses your takeouts as punishment for what ever they choose.

If you are even considering filing a complaint, I also want to tell you that as soon as you can you need to write down the dates, times, names and specific events about what has happened. If you have any forms you signed, (such as the one they made you sign the day they decided to punish you) get copies of it so that you have those papers with the dates on them. Get as much info that you can get your hands on and remember because the more specific details you have, the better it will go for you if you persue a complaint.

Oh, by the way, I am sorry but for privacy reasons I had to delete your email from your post, but you can contact any member of this forum through the private message feature and from there I can also give you my email addy so you can write to me directly. I will send you a message with it in it after I get through posting this message.

If you have any other questions or I can help in any other way, PLEASE let me know. That is what we are here for to help so don't hesitate to contact me. Let me know if you have the documents I asked about and we can go from there.

Until then, DO NOT let this mess up your long standing sobriety. A lot of times the clinic is not there for the best interest of the patient, even though that is what they are suppose to be there for. YOu have fought too hard and too long to stay sober to let some stupid hateful unhappy biddy mess you up. She would LOVE it if you came in with a dirty UA so do not give her that satisfaction. You have done an awesome job staying clean so do not let this mess that up!
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brendaelk

brendaelk


Female
Number of posts : 22
Age : 69
Location : NW Indiana
Registration date : 2009-04-17

Help, my program is disriminating against me. Empty
PostSubject: Re: Help, my program is disriminating against me.   Help, my program is disriminating against me. EmptySat Sep 21, 2013 10:40 am

Hello Alicia, I totally believe your story. I had my lock box stolen out of my car because I put it in the floorboard the night before I returned to dose. I am 60 yrs old and forgetful and I did not want to drive my 30 miles there and see that I forgot my box. I was transferring so they said let the clinic your going too handle it. I had been on this clinic I was going back to for over 10 years and I thought ok, they know my history better so I will do that. But in the 6 months I had been gone from there the whole nurses staff was new and the director that used to be the secretary said I should have taken care of before I left, I have had 18 years of clean drops and no broken rules in that time. The methadone has allowed me to live a productive tax paying citizen's life in which I am a thankful addict. But now I am starting all over in my phase and driving 60 miles round trip over 2 empty bottles taken and the police was called out as well. IT seems that some of the clinics care only about the money and not stability. So many of us are really thankful for our way out of heavy drug use. they should take us by our history in the program and at least give us a chance to continue our lives in the best way we can in a program that is great for long time addicts.
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Zac_Talbott

Zac_Talbott


Male
Number of posts : 48
Age : 40
Location : Maryville, Tennessee 37804
Job/hobbies : Program Director, Counseling Solutions of Chatsworth
Registration date : 2013-03-03

Help, my program is disriminating against me. Empty
PostSubject: Re: Help, my program is disriminating against me.   Help, my program is disriminating against me. EmptyTue Sep 24, 2013 3:29 pm

Right on @brendaelk... The whole "individualized treatment" thing that they are SUPPOSED to provide would take care of some of this CRAP patients are put through. IF we were given TRULY individualized treatment, that is! Mad  There ARE some good clinics out there - mine being one - but I'm afriad that far too many are run by these large corporations that are more concerned with the bottom line than they are quality treatment... and that's when you get these "blanket policies" for every patient without regard to individual circumstances, situations and/or history in treatment. It's sad, it really is.... I think PATIENTS should start opening clinics. We'll put the bad ones out of business! "Nothing about us without us!" Right?! Question 
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Help, my program is disriminating against me. Empty
PostSubject: Re: Help, my program is disriminating against me.   Help, my program is disriminating against me. Empty

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