Get Help Now for problems with alcohol and opioid use.
Call (650) 573-2735

Substance Use is associated with a variety of health consequences including deteriorating relationships, poor school performance, loss of employment, and diminished physical and mental health.

Do You or a Loved One use Alcohol or Opioids in Unhealthy or Harmful Ways?

Addiction is a chronic disease, much like heart disease or diabetes, that can be treated and managed with medication, counseling and support. Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) can help you end this harmful cycle and start living a life free of alcohol or opioid addiction.

What is Medication Assisted Treatment?

Medication Assisted Treatment is a proven, comprehensive treatment approach, which combines FDA-approved medications for substance use disorders, with counseling and other lifestyle/behavioral therapies to support treatment and recovery.

How Does Medication Assisted Treatment Work?

MAT programs prescribe a safe and controlled level of medication, such as naltrexone and buprenorphine to effectively manage symptoms, ease the detox and recovery process, prevent harmful use and overdose for people seeking recovery, especially those with moderate to severe disorders.

Many MAT medications relieve withdrawal symptoms and curb cravings during treatment, without causing a “high.” This helps you regain a normal state of mind and gives you a chance to focus on the lifestyle changes that can lead back to healthy living.

How Effective and Safe is Medication Assisted Treatment?

Studies have shown that individuals who participated in MAT had better recovery results than those who did not. MAT improves success rates in the first six months of recovery, and those who remain substance free during this critical period significantly improve their chances of sustained recovery.

MAT has been shown to assist clients in recovery by improving quality of life. Research shows that a combination of medication and therapy can successfully treat these disorders, and for people struggling with addiction, MAT can help sustain recovery. Medication can be safely taken for as long as needed— for months, a year, several years or even life.

What if I Return to Using?

Many people in treatment return to using one or more times before getting better and remaining drug free. While this may be a setback, it does not mean failure. You can continue with treatment and achieve full recovery. Persons in treatment for opioid use disorder are 80 percent more likely to complete treatment when using MAT as part of their treatment.

Not long ago I found myself in the hospital for withdrawal and addiction problems, where I met an IMAT case manager. He made every effort to help me, from checking in with me, to a welfare check at my room where I had relapsed. I was passed out and empty bottles were everywhere.

There was no judgement, just an unconditional offer to help, which I needed. I was treated with medication and counseling and have been sober for seven months – IMAT client

Get Help Now. Call (650) 573-2735

The Integrated Medication Assisted Treatment (IMAT) team can help connect you to care and support when you are ready to receive treatment. They also help you establish healthy behavioral patterns that improve your well-being and provide support to you along your recovery journey.

IMAT team members are in the emergency department at the San Mateo Medical Center and some county primary care clinics, First Chance Sobering Station, and community settings such as shelters, treatment programs and jail.

IMAT Support Line

Have a question about Medicated Assisted Treatment (MAT)?  Need to check in? Interested in MAT?

Call the IMAT Case Management Support Line at 650-573-2735
Available 9 a.m.- 8 p.m., 7-days-a-week, including holidays

Speak one-on-one with an IMAT Case Manager who can help navigate MAT questions, insurance issues, treatment or other behavioral health services – or if you just want to talk to someone who gets it.

Find more information on the Support Line flier (English, Spanish)

More Info

• Medications for alcohol and opioid use (English),  Spanish
• Download the IMAT Fact Sheet (English, Spanish, Tongan