Medication Assisted Treatment (M.A.T.) for Youth

Realizing your child or teen needs help for substance use can be scary and overwhelming. Substance Use Disorder is a medical illness caused by repeated misuse of a substance or substances. It’s more complicated than other diseases and it’s considered both a complex brain disorder and a mental illness. Research shows that a combination of therapy and medication can successfully treat substance use disorders. The prescribed medication works to normalize brain chemistry, block the euphoric effects of opioids, and relieve physiological cravings. Medications used in MAT are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and MAT programs are clinically driven and tailored to meet each person’s needs to treat substance use disorders, sustain recovery, and prevent overdose.