Treatment Methodology:
MAT vs. MOUD
Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT)
Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) is defined by SAMHSA as treatment for opioid use disorder that includes medication to minimize cravings, counseling and behavioral therapy.
Learn more about our MAT/MOUD Clinic Services.
Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD)
MOUD refers to medication-based treatment for opioid use disorder. Unlike MAT, MOUD does not include counseling or behavioral therapy. Research demonstrates that medication alone, when taken regularly, can prevent cravings and help manage triggers.
There is no standard length for MOUD treatment. It’s typically prescribed until someone no longer needs it, which can range from several months to several years.
MOUD allows patients to make healthier choices about who to hang out with, what nutritious food to eat and how to manage their work/life balance. However, MOUD, by itself, is only the medication component, which allows patients the chance to get their own life back on track.
Treatment with Medication
Both MAT and MOUD include treatment with medication, but MAT places counseling and behavioral therapy at the center of treatment, with medication as the “assisted” approach.
MOUD centers prescription medication as the core service, with other treatment options recommended only if they are needed.
When is the term MAT still applicable?
Medical detox is still referred to as Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT).
A combined diagnosis of opioid use disorder coinciding with another mental health disorder is referred to as a co-occurring disorder, which can be treated with a combination of medication, counseling and behavioral therapy.
Why change the language about Opioid Addiction Therapy?
Commonly used terms like “addict,” “junky” or “user” carry a lot of stigma and can deter patients from seeking treatment. A diagnosis of “opioid use disorder” is a medical term that doesn’t carry the same negative connotations, so most treatment centers are shifting to new terminology so that patients feel welcome and safe.
MOUD, and to some extent MAT, are efforts to de-stigmatize treatment, with providers shifting to MOUD as the most accurate description of treatment using medication.
Learn more about our MAT/MOUD Clinic programs.
Call us at 330-678-3006 for more information.
