WEST PALM BEACH, FL · OUTPATIENT MAT · ASAM LEVEL 1
Medication-Assisted Treatment in West Palm Beach
Outpatient Buprenorphine (Suboxone) Treatment for Adults
Medication-Assisted Treatment at Mental Health West Palm Beach – Trustpsychiatry — FDA-approved buprenorphine and naltrexone · ASAM Level 1 outpatient · 42 CFR Part 2 record protection, with cravings and withdrawal easing in the first weeks.
- ✓Buprenorphine (Suboxone, Sublocade) induction and maintenance for OUD
- ✓Naltrexone — oral and monthly Vivitrol — for OUD and alcohol use disorder
- ✓Co-occurring depression, anxiety, and PTSD managed in the same chart
- ✓42 CFR Part 2 federal record protection — beyond HIPAA
Serving West Palm Beach · Lake Worth · Wellington · Palm Beach · Greenacres · Riviera Beach · Statewide Florida telepsychiatry
WHAT TO EXPECT
What a MAT intake actually looks like at Mental Health West Palm Beach – Trustpsychiatry.
Four anchors define the first visit and the months that follow. Predictability matters here — MAT is high-stakes outpatient care and the structure earns its keep.
| Anchor | Duration | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Initial MAT intake | 60 Min | DSM-5-TR substance use disorder assessment, ASAM level-of-care match, buprenorphine or naltrexone candidacy review, and co-occurring psychiatric screen. |
| Induction window | 1–3 Days | Buprenorphine induction with mild withdrawal first; naltrexone requires an opioid-free interval. Weekly check-ins through stabilization. |
| Improvement window | 4–8 weeks | Cravings and withdrawal ease within weeks; 3–12 months for long-term recovery and stabilization. Florida E-FORCSE monitored throughout. |
| Confidentiality | 42 CFR Part 2 | Federal record protection — written consent required before any disclosure, no exceptions for employers or family. |
ACCESS & AVAILABILITY
✓Same-day when available · ✓Evening hours · ✓Weekend by appointment · ✓Statewide Florida telepsychiatry
Insurance benefits verified before your first visit at Mental Health West Palm Beach – Trustpsychiatry.
WHAT WE DELIVER
Outpatient MAT — buprenorphine, naltrexone, and co-occurring psychiatric care.
MAT care here is built around six clinical anchors. DSM-5-TR criteria drive the diagnosis; ASAM Criteria (4th Edition) drives the level of care. FDA-approved medications and psychiatric co-management work in the same chart so the plans talk to each other.
Buprenorphine for OUD
Suboxone (buprenorphine/naloxone) sublingual and Sublocade (monthly subcutaneous depot) for adults with opioid use disorder — induction, maintenance, and dose adjustments under DEA Schedule III monitoring.
Naltrexone — oral and Vivitrol
Oral naltrexone (ReVia, Depade) and monthly intramuscular Vivitrol (380 mg) for both opioid use disorder and alcohol use disorder. Non-controlled, no induction-day withdrawal — opioid-free interval required before start.
DSM-5-TR & ASAM evaluation
Structured intake against the eleven DSM-5-TR criteria for substance use disorder, paired with ASAM Criteria (4th Edition) level-of-care matching across six dimensions — the assessment drives the placement.
Co-occurring psychiatric care
Depression, anxiety, PTSD, and ADHD often co-travel with OUD and AUD. Both managed in the same chart, by the same prescriber — the plans talk to each other instead of around each other.
Naloxone training & safety planning
Naloxone reverses opioid overdose. Trained and dispensed to people in care and to family or partners on request — part of MAT care, not a paid add-on.
42 CFR Part 2 confidentiality
MAT records carry federal protection that exceeds HIPAA. Written consent is required before any disclosure — including to employers, family members, and other providers.
WHO WE SERVE
When outpatient MAT is the right level for the person in your chair.
Outpatient MAT works when housing is stable, the medical picture is manageable, and the case fits ASAM Level 1. The adults for whom that combination lands are not a single archetype.
| Archetype | Why outpatient MAT fits |
|---|---|
| The transitioning patient | Current buprenorphine prescriber is closing, retiring, or out of network. |
| The post-detox patient | Stepping down from inpatient detox or residential, needs outpatient maintenance. |
| The first-time-OUD patient | Recognizes the problem; wants office-based buprenorphine without residential. |
| The AUD patient | Alcohol use disorder candidate for oral naltrexone or monthly Vivitrol. |
| The co-occurring case | Depression, anxiety, or PTSD keeps colliding with the MAT plan. |
| The single-prescriber seeker | Wants one prescriber managing both MAT and the psychiatric chart. |
OUR PROCESS
How MAT care unfolds at Trust Psychiatry.
Three steps from first call to ongoing care. Buprenorphine is federally controlled (DEA Schedule III) and monitored through Florida E-FORCSE. The structure is not a hurdle — it is what keeps the prescribing tight and the chart defensible.
MAT Evaluation (60 Min)
DSM-5-TR SUD assessment, ASAM Criteria level-of-care match, buprenorphine vs. naltrexone candidacy, co-occurring screen for depression and anxiety, benefits verification, naloxone education in the room.
Induction & Treatment Plan
Medication selection (buprenorphine for OUD; naltrexone or Vivitrol for OUD or AUD), induction plan and timing, supportive psychotherapy framing, coordination with any current providers, naloxone training for patients and family.
Ongoing Care — measurement-based
Stabilization with weekly to biweekly follow-ups in the first months. PHQ-9 and GAD-7 tracked alongside MAT outcomes. Expect 4–8 weeks for meaningful improvement; 3–12 months for long-term recovery. Telepsychiatry follow-ups across Florida per the 2023 DEA telemedicine ruling.
WHAT THE EVIDENCE SAYS
Three things worth knowing about outpatient MAT.
SAMHSA, NIDA, and ASAM converge on the same picture: medication-assisted treatment paired with clinical support and co-occurring psychiatric care outperforms abstinence-only models for opioid and alcohol use disorder. Clinical consultation runs through PCSS — the Provider’s Clinical Support System — and PSON, the Providers’ Specialty Outreach Network.
“Buprenorphine for opioid use disorder is FDA-approved and recommended as first-line by the ASAM National Practice Guideline; outcomes improve when medication is paired with evidence-based clinical support.”
Mechanism: buprenorphine occupies opioid receptors partially, reducing cravings and withdrawal while limiting overdose risk relative to full agonists.
“The Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment Act of 2023 eliminated the prior buprenorphine prescribing restriction — clinicians with a Schedule III DEA registration and federal 8-hour MAT training may now prescribe buprenorphine for opioid use disorder.”
Mechanism: removing the prior restriction and patient cap opens office-based MAT to more prescribers; Josie Desmarais, PMHNP-BC, has the federal training on file and the Florida APRN DEA registration to prescribe under current law.
“Substance use disorder treatment records are protected under 42 CFR Part 2, a federal rule that exceeds HIPAA — written patient consent is required before any disclosure, with limited federal exceptions.”
Mechanism: federal rule recognizes the stakes of MAT disclosure (employment, custody, immigration); written consent governs every release of MAT records.
Ready to put the evidence to work? Schedule a medication-assisted evaluation →
SCOPE — STRAIGHT
What Trust Psychiatry delivers — and what falls outside outpatient MAT scope.
Trust Psychiatry delivers outpatient ASAM Level 1 MAT for adults — DSM-5-TR diagnosis, buprenorphine (Suboxone, Sublocade) for opioid use disorder, naltrexone (oral and Vivitrol) for opioid and alcohol use disorder, naloxone training in the room, and co-occurring psychiatric care in the same chart, with 42 CFR Part 2 protecting the record. Methadone is delivered exclusively at federally-certified opioid treatment programs (OTPs) — outside outpatient MAT scope. No inpatient detox (Level 4), no residential treatment (Level 3.x), no intensive outpatient (Level 2.1, IOP).
The flip side matters too — outpatient MAT here means a single prescriber managing the medications, the SUD plan, and any co-occurring psychiatric meds in the same chart, with naloxone in the room and 42 CFR Part 2 protecting the record. Leaving an intake without a prescription is a valid outcome. Our job is to match the case to the right level of care.
Other Services at Trust Psychiatry
More services at Mental Health West Palm Beach – Trustpsychiatry
Medication Management · Psychiatric Evaluation · Telepsychiatry Florida · Prescription Refills · Substance Use Disorder Treatment · Supportive Psychotherapy · TOVA Cognitive Testing
YOUR PRESCRIBER
Who you’ll see for outpatient MAT.
Josie Desmarais, PMHNP-BC, ANCC board-certified, sole prescriber at Mental Health West Palm Beach – Trustpsychiatry. 16+ years at Bay Pines VA Healthcare System (2007–2023) where co-occurring substance use disorder and psychiatric care were the daily caseload. DEA Schedule III, federal 8-hour MAT training completion on file under the Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment Act of 2023, PCSS and PSON clinical consultation, FL E-FORCSE monitored prescribing.
Read Josie’s full bio →OUR LOCATION
Visit us in Haverhill, West Palm Beach.
Off I-95 at Belvedere Rd · 7 minutes from Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) · In Haverhill, West Palm Beach FL 33415
Adults across Lake Worth · Wellington · Palm Beach · Greenacres · Riviera Beach · statewide Florida via secure telepsychiatry.
Trust Psychiatry & Wellness
4500 Belvedere Rd, Suite D
West Palm Beach, FL 33415
Hours
Mon–Fri: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Sat: By appointment
Sun: Closed
Related Conditions
Conditions we treat alongside MAT
Depression Treatment · Anxiety Treatment · ADHD Treatment · PTSD Treatment · OCD Treatment · Bipolar Disorder Treatment · Mood Disorder Treatment · Insomnia Treatment · CBT Therapy · DBT Therapy · ACT Therapy · Mindfulness Therapy
FREQUENTLY ASKED
Common questions about outpatient MAT.
What does the MAT evaluation cover, and how long does it run? ▸
The intake covers the eleven DSM-5-TR criteria for substance use disorder, an ASAM Criteria level-of-care match across six dimensions (withdrawal risk, biomedical, emotional/behavioral, readiness, relapse risk, recovery environment), buprenorphine vs. naltrexone candidacy, and a co-occurring psychiatric screen. The 60-minute initial intake holds the assessment and the treatment-plan framing.
Which medications do you prescribe, and which fall outside scope? ▸
In scope: buprenorphine (Suboxone sublingual, Sublocade monthly depot) for opioid use disorder; naltrexone (oral and Vivitrol monthly injection) for OUD and alcohol use disorder; acamprosate and disulfiram for AUD. Out of scope: methadone (delivered exclusively at federally-certified opioid treatment programs, not at Trust Psychiatry). When ASAM points to a higher level of care, we coordinate the appropriate next step.
Is the prior buprenorphine prescribing restriction still in effect? ▸
No. The Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment Act of 2023 eliminated the prior prescribing restriction and patient cap. Clinicians with a Schedule III DEA registration and federal 8-hour MAT training may now prescribe buprenorphine for opioid use disorder. Josie Desmarais, PMHNP-BC, has both on file under her Florida APRN DEA authority.
How long until I feel better on medication? ▸
Expect 4–8 weeks for meaningful improvement on FDA-approved medications for OUD and AUD, and 3–12 months for long-term recovery and stabilization. Buprenorphine reduces cravings and withdrawal within the first weeks; naltrexone and acamprosate build effect over a similar window. Tapering is patient-driven and paused if cravings or use return.
Will my employer or family find out I’m in MAT? ▸
MAT records are protected under 42 CFR Part 2, a federal rule that exceeds HIPAA. Written patient consent is required before any disclosure, with limited federal exceptions. Mental Health West Palm Beach releases nothing to employers, families, or other providers without your signed consent.
Can I do MAT follow-ups by telehealth across Florida? ▸
Yes. Per the 2023 DEA telemedicine ruling, ongoing buprenorphine prescribing for opioid use disorder may be delivered by telepsychiatry to Florida residents. Naltrexone and acamprosate visits are also telehealth-eligible. Initial inductions may require an in-office or video evaluation; the intake call confirms the right format.
Does insurance cover MAT medications and visits? ▸
Most major Florida plans cover FDA-approved medications for OUD and AUD; Florida Medicaid explicitly covers buprenorphine formulations (verify the PDL at intake).
BCBS Florida and Humana are credentialing in progress — the Grow Therapy bridge covers those plans until in-network status is confirmed.
Trust Psychiatry is in-network with Aetna, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare, Optum, Florida Medicaid, AvMed, Evernorth, TRICARE, M-Care, Cuare, HP, and Paramount.
What if outpatient MAT is not the right level for me? ▸
The intake includes the ASAM Criteria level-of-care match. If the assessment points to inpatient withdrawal (Level 4), residential (Level 3.x), intensive outpatient (Level 2.1), or methadone via a federally-certified OTP, that is the recommendation. We resume outpatient MAT once the higher level of care is complete.
How does co-occurring psychiatric care work alongside MAT? ▸
Depression, anxiety, PTSD, ADHD, and insomnia frequently co-travel with OUD and AUD. At a single-modality MAT clinic those typically route to a separate prescriber whose plan does not talk to the MAT plan. At Trust Psychiatry, both live in the same chart and the same prescriber adjusts them in concert — medication interactions, sequencing, and response checks all sit in one place.
READY WHEN YOU ARE
Start with the MAT evaluation.
In-network with twelve major Florida plans. DSM-5-TR SUD evaluation, FDA-approved MAT medication when indicated, co-occurring psychiatric care in the same chart, naloxone training in the room, 42 CFR Part 2 protecting the record.
Crisis support: SAMHSA Helpline 1-800-662-HELP (24/7, free, confidential). For medical emergency or overdose, call 911.