Missouri Drug Rehabs

Missouri Addiction Treatment

Around 4,100 Missourians were admitted to rehab for heroin addiction in 2008. That number increased to nearly 8,400 in 2015.

Opioid painkiller use, like hydrocodone, was also identified among heroin addiction sufferers admitted to treatment. Since many people first become addicted to opioid pain pills before moving onto heroin, it’s common to see people who continue to abuse both substances.

Aside from heroin and opioids, the most commonly cited substances for treatment admissions in 2013 included:

1. Alcohol – 13,874
2. Marijuana/hashish – 8,234
3. Methamphetamine – 5,104
4. Heroin – 3,507

The Show Me State serves as a major transshipment hub for Mexican drug trafficking operations (DTOs) who supply cocaine, heroin, marijuana and methamphetamine throughout the state and the Midwest. Four major interstates run through the state, which provides easy access for distributors to transport illicit drugs from the Southwest border. Law enforcement investigations show that different regions in Missouri are affected by different types of drugs. For example, highway patrol officers have uncovered significant amounts of crystal methamphetamine near Springfield, while St. Louis residents are primarily concerned with heroin and crack cocaine abuse.

Substance abuse among young adults is also a fast growing concern for Missouri’s communities, especially for opioid-based painkillers. The number of young adults aged 18 to 25 who abused opioids in 2014 – 9.3 percent – was greater than the national average of 8.32 percent.

Don’t let a substance addiction destroy your goals and aspirations. Call our treatment providers now to get your life back on track.

Break free from addiction.

You have options. Talk about them with a treatment provider today.

(870) 515-4356

Laws Of Missouri Drug Abuse

Missouri is known for having some of the stiffest penalties for drug offenses in the country. Nearly 36,000 people were arrested for a drug violation in 2016 alone. Many states classify illicit drug offenses according to the amount and type of substance involved. However, that’s not the case in Missouri.

Missouri also enforces a minimum sentence requirement of at least one year in prison for drug possession convictions.

On Jan. 1, 2017, new prison sentences and fines for most drug-related crimes will take effect. The tables below show the 2017 penalties, as well as charges that end on Dec. 31, 2016.

Selling or producing drugs in Missouri is considered a much more serious crime, especially if it was committed near an elementary school, high school or college. The 2017 penalties for these crimes are similar to those involving first-degree burglary, voluntary manslaughter or statutory sexual assault.

Marijuana Laws

While most of Missouri’s drug crime penalties will change in 2017, penalties for marijuana offenses will remain the same. Depending on the amount of marijuana involved and the circumstance of the crime, violators could potentially spend the rest of their lives in prison.

Medical Marijuana

In 2014, Missouri enacted a cannabidiol (CBD) law to treat patients suffering from intractable epilepsy.

According to the law, patients with a prescription can possess up to 20 ounces of CBD at any given time. Patients can obtain the oil from a number of state-licensed dispensaries; however, home cultivation is not allowed. The oil cannot contain more than three-tenths of one percent of THC.

Addiction Treatment Laws In Missouri

Thanks to community awareness efforts about the dangers of drug abuse, many U.S. states have recognized the value of harm reduction laws. Harm reduction laws include the public health policies, substance abuse prevention programs and treatment options available to keep people safe from the risks of drug abuse. Examples of harm reduction programs include:

• Methadone maintenance treatment.
• Good Samaritan laws.
• Naloxone access and administration training.

Missouri is no stranger to realizing the benefits that harm reduction laws bring to communities. One of the most prominent harm reduction leaders in the state is the Kansas City Free Health Clinic. The Kansas City Free Health Clinic opened in 1971 and has operated a syringe exchange program since 1993. Syringe exchange programs have been proven to help reduce the number of bloodborne illnesses like HIV. These harm reduction services are delivered anonymously in a non-judgmental, client-centered manner, allowing patients to retain their privacy and feel good about their decision to get treatment.

Substance Abuse Traffic Offenders Program (SATOP)

Drunk and drugged driving have a devastating impact on Missouri residents. Each year, thousands of people in Missouri are injured or killed in an alcohol or drug-related motor vehicle crash.

All drugged or drunk driving offenders enter the SATOP system through an Offender Management Unit, where they receive a review of their driving record, breath alcohol content (BAC) at the time of arrest and an interview with a substance abuse treatment professional. Based upon the information gathered, the offender is referred to one of several types of SATOP programs:

• Offender Education Program: A 10-hour course designed for lower risk offenders to help them understand the choices they made that led to their intoxication and arrest.
• Adolescent Diversion Education Program: A 10-hour education course for minors.
• Weekend Intervention Program (WIP – Level II): A 20-hour course designed for repeat or high-risk offenders using intensive education, counseling methods and other structured activities.
• Clinical Intervention Program: A 50-hour outpatient counseling program consisting of individual and group counseling.
• Youth Clinical Intervention Program: A 25-hour program for minors who have been identified as having a serious substance abuse problem.
• Serious and Repeat Offender Program: An outpatient program consisting of at least 75 hours of treatment in no less than 90 days. Services must include a minimum of 35 hours of individual and group counseling.
• Traditional Treatment: This is typically last resort for multiple or high-risk offenders. In this case, inpatient rehab is recommended in lieu of the SATOP programs.

The Substance Abuse Traffic Offenders Program has helped Missourians reobtain their driver’s licenses with fewer instances of recidivism and with a renewed outlook on life.

Mental Health Crisis Prevention Project

Young adults in Missouri have been especially susceptible to the perils of illicit drug addiction. As a response, Missouri introduced a multifaceted substance abuse prevention initiative known as the Mental Health Crisis Prevention Project. The project is made up of two successful state programs: the Community Mental Health Liaison program and the Emergency Room Enhancement program.

Both of the programs that make up the project identify young adults in Missouri who are suffering – or at risk of – an addiction.

Some of the qualifications for addiction treatment under the Project include the following:

• The person must be referred through the Community Mental Health Liaison (CMHL) or the Emergency Room Enhancement Program (ERE) with a serious substance abuse addiction.
• The person must be an adult aged 21 to 35 years old.
• Be uninsured.
• Be a resident of Missouri.
• Be at an income level below 150% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL).

In 2016, the Project was submitted to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for additional funding and awaits approval.

Treatment Centers in Missouri

Missouri’s Division of Behavioral Health (DBH) oversees the state’s addiction treatment programs and services. Each of Missouri’s treatment options focuses on providing individualized care to address each person’s stage of addiction.

The Comprehensive Substance Treatment and Rehabilitation (CSTAR) program is Missouri’s answer to fighting the multiple forms of substance abuse that affect residents across the state.  Funded by Missouri’s Medicaid program and DBH’s purchase-of-service system, CSTAR offers a flexible combination of clinical and supportive services through four tailored programs:

1. CSTAR Women and Children: Designed for women and children impacted by substance addiction. Admission priority is given to women who are pregnant or postpartum.
2. CSTAR Adolescent: This program offers a spectrum of treatment services for individuals aged 12 to 17, including early intervention and comprehensive drug therapy. The program heavily emphasizes the importance of staying in school.
3. CSTAR General Population: These programs offer intensive outpatient treatment services to both men and women with substance abuse problems.
4. CSTAR Opioid: A special program designed for those suffering an opioid or heroin abuse disorder. It provides medication-assisted therapy to help patients safely withdraw from the substance, followed by additional treatment and counseling.

Thanks to programs like CSTAR, people in Missouri have more opportunities to get help for an addiction. When selecting a treatment center, try not to limit yourself to the facilities that are closest to home. It might be worth it to travel for rehab if it means you can focus on your treatment. If you’re suffering from an addiction, there is help available. Contact a treatment provider today.