Pa. Code 715.24

Narcotic detoxification

This regulation governs narcotic treatment programs (OTPs) in Pennsylvania that provide narcotic detoxification services. It establishes required policies and procedures for both short-term (up to 30 days) and long-term (up to 180 days) narcotic detoxification, including rules on take-home medication restrictions, observed ingestion frequency, drug screening requirements, treatment planning, and minimum waiting periods between detoxification episodes. Operators must ensure detoxification periods are not counted toward the one-year dependency history required for admission to maintenance treatment.

28 Pa. Code § 715.24 - Narcotic detoxification 

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If a narcotic treatment program provides narcotic detoxification services, the narcotic treatment program shall develop and implement narcotic detoxification policies and procedures which include the following:

(1)
 For narcotic detoxification from methadone or any other narcotic, the detoxification service may not exceed 180 days.

(2)
 For calculating the 1-year narcotic dependency history required for admission to maintenance treatment, the narcotic detoxification period may not be included.

(3)
 A 1-year physiologic dependence is not required for narcotic detoxification although documentation of current dependency is required.

(4)
 Minimum requirements for short-term narcotic detoxification treatment are as follows: 
(i)
 Take-home medication is not allowed during a 30-day narcotic detoxification treatment. A narcotic treatment program shall observe the patient ingesting the medication 7 days per week.

(ii)
 The narcotic treatment program shall perform an initial drug screening test or analysis.

(iii)
 The narcotic treatment program shall develop a treatment plan. The patient's counselor shall monitor the patient's progress toward the goal of short-term narcotic detoxification and possible drug-free treatment referral.

(iv)
 No narcotic treatment program may provide short-term narcotic detoxification treatment to an individual until at least 7 days after the conclusion of any previous short-term narcotic detoxification treatment.

(5)
 Minimum requirements for long-term detoxification treatment are as follows:
(i)
 A narcotic treatment program shall administer medication to allow a patient to attain drug-free status and to make progress in rehabilitation within 180 days or less.

(ii)
 A narcotic treatment program shall perform an initial drug screening test or analysis. A narcotic treatment program shall perform at least one additional random test or analysis monthly on each patient during long-term narcotic detoxification.

(iii)
 The narcotic treatment program shall develop an initial treatment plan, and update the plan monthly.

(iv)
 A narcotic treatment program shall observe the patient while ingesting the medication at least 6 days a week.

(v)
 No narcotic treatment program may provide long-term narcotic detoxification treatment to an individual until at least 7 days after the conclusion of any previous narcotic detoxification treatment.

Notes

28
 Pa. Code §
 
715.24

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