As the opioid crisis continues to grip the United States—fueled in large part by the proliferation of fentanyl—effective and evidence-based treatment options are more important than ever. A new white paper from BayMark Health Services offers compelling evidence that MAT for opioid addiction, when paired with comprehensive counseling, offers meaningful, measurable improvements for people struggling with opioid use disorder (OUD). These improvements aren’t limited to reductions in drug use—they also extend into mental health, legal stability, and interpersonal relationships.
The findings are especially important in the context of today’s opioid landscape. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, opioid overdoses were responsible for over 80,000 deaths in 2021—nearly four times the number recorded in 2010. This steep rise underscores the need for innovative, multi-pronged treatment strategies capable of addressing not only substance use, but also the broader set of challenges faced by those in recovery.
BayMark Health Services: A Leader in MAT for Opioid Addiction
Based in Lewisville, Texas, BayMark Health Services is recognized as North America’s largest MAT provider, with more than 400 treatment centers across the U.S. and Canada. These centers offer a wide spectrum of services, including withdrawal management, partial hospitalization programs (PHPs), intensive outpatient programs (IOPs), and counseling. BayMark’s integrated model emphasizes long-term engagement and holistic care tailored to each patient’s needs.
BayMark’s white paper is based on data from approximately 39,000 patients who enrolled in outpatient OUD treatment programs since 2020. The scope and scale of this data set make it one of the most significant real-world evaluations of MAT for opioid addiction to date. Among the findings, one of the most striking is how quickly patients begin to improve: within the first three months of MAT for opioid addiction combined with counseling, illicit drug use decreased by 65%.
Long-Term Treatment Leads to Continued Gains
Recovery is not a short-term process, and BayMark’s data supports the idea that longer stays in treatment result in better outcomes. On average, newly admitted patients stayed in treatment for 1.5 years, while those actively enrolled had an average duration of 3.2 years in care. This extended engagement correlates with ongoing reductions in drug use, including a further 23% decrease in illicit drug use over the full course of treatment.
Beyond substance use, patients also reported broader life improvements. The report found a 32% reduction in substance use-related problems, measured through tools like the Addiction Severity Index, which captures data on alcohol and drug use as well as related mental, social, and legal issues. Additionally, patients noted improved mental health symptoms, including reductions in anxiety and depression, as well as improvements in physical health over a two-year period.
The Fentanyl Factor: A Complicating Reality
Despite these promising outcomes, the report also highlights the sobering reality of fentanyl’s role in complicating OUD treatment. Among patients in their first three months of care, 62% of all urine tests came back positive for fentanyl. This synthetic opioid, which is up to 50 times stronger than heroin, presents unique challenges due to its potency, widespread availability, and rapid onset of physical dependence.
Patients who tested positive for fentanyl were more likely to:
- Present with more severe mental and physical health conditions
- Struggle with polysubstance use
- Spend nearly 50% fewer days in treatment compared to non-fentanyl users
- Experience less favorable treatment outcomes overall
These findings reflect what many clinicians already suspect: that fentanyl requires a more intensive, responsive approach to treatment. Standard MAT for opioid addiction protocols may not be sufficient to stabilize patients dealing with the complex effects of fentanyl, and BayMark is exploring ways to adapt.
Higher Methadone Doses Show Promising Results
In response to the unique challenges presented by fentanyl, BayMark implemented fentanyl testing across all of its clinics and began experimenting with higher doses of methadone. This change aimed to improve treatment retention and reduce ongoing fentanyl use among patients.
The preliminary results are encouraging. Patients who received higher methadone doses had:
- A retention rate of 77%, which is 7% higher than the overall year-to-date average
- Significantly fewer drug tests that came back positive for fentanyl
These early findings suggest that adjusting MAT for opioid addiction protocols to better suit fentanyl users could be a key component in improving recovery outcomes. BayMark’s willingness to innovate based on real-time patient data could serve as a blueprint for other treatment providers navigating the same challenges.
MAT for Opioid Addiction + Counseling = A Holistic Path to Recovery
The results of BayMark’s report reaffirm a vital message for those in the addiction treatment field: Medication-assisted treatment is not just about reducing drug use—it’s about improving lives. By pairing MAT for opioid addiction with individualized counseling, group support, and wraparound services like PHPs and IOPs, patients are able to heal on multiple levels.
In fact, many of the most meaningful gains highlighted in the report have nothing to do with drug test results. Patients reported better relationships, improved legal situations, and a more stable overall quality of life. These are the types of outcomes that help sustain long-term recovery and prevent relapse.
And while fentanyl presents new and serious obstacles, the data still supports the continued expansion of MAT for opioid addiction programs. As the report’s authors put it:
“Use of MAT and the comprehensive care offered by specialized OUD treatment facilities is more important than ever given the proliferation of fentanyl and other potent synthetic opioids.”
A Call to Action
With opioid-related deaths continuing to rise, and fentanyl making recovery more complex and dangerous, the message from BayMark’s research is clear: we need to double down on what works. MAT for opioid addiction, when combined with consistent counseling and long-term support, gives individuals the best chance at recovery—and at rebuilding their lives.
BayMark’s model of care, which emphasizes not only medical stabilization but also mental, emotional, and social recovery, is showing real-world success at scale. Their findings should serve as both an inspiration and a guide for treatment providers, policymakers, and families alike.
As the opioid crisis evolves, so must our response. Comprehensive, adaptive care—like that offered by BayMark—isn’t just saving lives. It’s changing them for the better.
