Can a patient in a Long Term Care Facility (LTCF) receive methadone for maintenance purposes?
If an LTCF is registered with DEA as a hospital/clinic, it need not be separately registered as an NTP to administer or dispense methadone as an adjunct to medical or surgical treatment of conditions other than addiction. [21 CFR 1306.07(c)] If an LTCF that is not registered with DEA as a hospital/clinic has a patient who is also currently enrolled in a licensed NTP, the NTP may transfer medication to the LTCF with the approval of the State Methadone Authority. If an individual not currently enrolled in an NTP is in an LTCF that is not registered with DEA as a hospital/clinic or an NTP, a practitioner may administer narcotic drugs to the individual for relieving acute withdrawal symptoms when necessary while arrangements are being made for referral for treatment. No more than one day’s medication may be administered to the individual or for the individual’s use at one time. Such emergency treatment may be carried out for no more than three days and may not be renewed or extended.
