T H E B R O O K L Y N T R E A T M E N T C O U R T

**METHADONE SCREENING**

Eligible defendants, who are already in a methadone program upon intake
at the Brooklyn Treatment Court, must agree to move from maintenance to
abstinence in order to participate. Overall participation requirements,
as well as phase movement, are somewhat different for methadone
participants. Specifically, they must (1) provide their Brooklyn
Treatment Court Case Manager with the name and telephone number of their
methadone program, physician and counselor upon intake; (2) adhere to
"pick-up" schedules set by their methadone programs; and (3) submit to
weekly urine tests at the Brooklyn Treatment Court as well as all other
urine tests performed by their program. At assessment, methadone users
will fall into one of the four following categories with the resulting
eligibility status.

GROUP I

**Intake Status:** Methadone users enrolled in a methadone program upon
arrest, making regular appointments at that program, using no other
substance and who do not wish to detox from methadone (regardless of
dosage).

**Eligibility Status:** Not Otherwise Eligible

**Reason:** The described individual does not appear to have an
addiction other than methadone and does not agree to detox.

GROUP II

**Intake Status:** Methadone users receiving dosages of over 80
milligrams (regardless of other substances used or willingness to
detox).

**Eligibility Status:** Not Otherwise Eligible

**Reason:** The described individual appears to have an addiction, but
receives such high dosages that the detoxification period alone could
take longer than the standard period of participation at the Brooklyn
Treatment Court. Accordingly, this person's Court Mandate period could
conceivably be twice as long as that of non-methadone clients.

GROUP III

**A. Intake Status:** Methadone users receiving dosages of 60 - 80
milligrams, agree to detox completely, and who may or may not have
medical issues;

-OR-

**B. Intake Status:** Methadone users receiving any dosage under 80
milligrams, agree to detox completely, and who have any medical or
mental health conditions or issues;

-OR-

**C. Intake Status:** Methadone users receiving any dosage under 80
milligrams who are also predicates (regardless of dosage or intent to
detox).

**Eligibility Status:** Treatment Evaluation

**Reason:** A & B: Despite their desire to detox, these individuals may
have issues that could delay or prevent ultimate detoxification from
methadone. The BTC clinical staff needs 10-14 days to determine the
appropriateness and estimated length of complete detoxification. C:
Although all predicates are required to be in residential treatment,
methadone users are not eligible for immediate residential placement. An
evaluation period is necessary to determine eligibility.

GROUP IV

**Intake Status:** Methadone users receiving any dosage under 60
milligrams, agree to detox completely, and who have no medical or mental
health issues.

**Eligibility Status:** Pre-Treatment Mandate

**Reason:** These individuals have no apparent obstacles to a
methadone-to-abstinence protocol and total detoxification.

**METHADONE TO ABSTINENCE PHASES**

**[PHASE I - CHOICE]{.underline}**

During Phase I, clients must establish abstinence from all other
substances and must actively work to reduce their methadone dosage by
half.

**REQUIREMENTS FOR ADVANCEMENT TO PHASE II (CHALLENGE)**

All cases: Dosage must be cut in half

> Drug-free (other than methadone) and Sanctionless Participation for 4
> months

[PHASE II - CHANGE]{.underline}

During Phase II, clients must detox completely from methadone and
continue total abstinence from all other substances. In addition, once
detoxed, clients must accumulate drug-free time before advancing to
Phase III.

**REQUIREMENTS FOR ADVANCEMENT TO PHASE III (CHALLENGE)**

Misdemeanors: Total Detox plus an additional 2 months drug-free and
sanctionless

Single Felonies: Total Detox plus an additional 4 months drug-free and
sanctionless

Multiple Felonies/

Predicates: Total Detox plus an additional 8 months drug-free and
sanctionless

\*Note: "90 Day" Rewards will be given to methadone participants once
they have entered Phase II and have detoxed completely. (At that point,
methadone participants will have accumulated 4 months of abstinence from
all other substances in addition to complete detoxification from
methadone.)

[PHASE III - CHALLENGE]{.underline}

The Phase III and graduation requirements for methadone participants are
the same as the requirements for all other clients.