Nearly all insurance plans cover medical care for substance use disorders and prescribed medications. Please verify what mental health and behavioral health benefits are included in your insurance policy and whether your plan covers substance use disorders. Even if Dr. Chicks is not an in-network provider, you may be granted special authorization or an out-of-network exception to receive care at For Your Health-Julie Chicks, M.D. under specific circumstances: No other Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) programs are accessible to treat your condition Local waitlists are too long to receive timely intervention Existing programs are located too far away to maintain consistent visits In these cases, please contact our team at For Your Health for assistance with obtaining insurance approval for comprehensive addiction treatments in Milwaukee, WI and the surrounding areas.

Absolutely. Clinical evidence consistently shows that Medication-Assisted Treatment substantially improves long-term outcomes. Even after completing extended abstinence-only rehabilitation programs, sobriety is unfortunately temporary for the vast majority of patients, with only 6.6% successfully maintaining long-term recovery without medical support (Weiss RD et al., Arch Gen Psychiatry, 2011). In addition, inpatient facilities can be prohibitively expensive. At For Your Health-Julie Chicks, M.D., we utilize evidence-based medical interventions that reduce relapse risk and lower overall care costs, making us a dependable choice for patients seeking effective opioid treatments in Milwaukee, WI.

No. Opiates of abuse are taken illicitly to produce a rapid, euphoric high, whereas Methadone and Suboxone are medical therapies specifically formulated to eliminate cravings and stop withdrawal without creating that euphoria. When prescribed and monitored under professional care, these medications maintain stable, steady levels in the brain. Unlike illicit opioids, properly managed treatment carries an exceptionally low risk of fatal overdose and allows patients to rebuild stable personal and professional lives. Abusing illicit opioids, pain pills, or heroin carries extreme dangers, including fatal overdose, cardiovascular infection, HIV, and Hepatitis C, alongside severe tissue and respiratory damage. Replacing uncontrolled drug use with stable medical supervision is the standard of care across top suboxone clinics in Milwaukee, WI, helping individuals reclaim their health and safely re-engage with society. Maintenance treatment can stabilize individuals, allowing them to address medical, psychological, and other aspects of recovery while reducing the risks associated with illicit opioid use. In contrast, misusing prescription pain medications or heroin can result in overdose and death. Other serious consequences of illicit opioid use include HIV and Hepatitis C infection, injection-related infections, skin abscesses, vein damage, lung disease from smoking drugs, and nasal damage from snorting drugs.

Yes. Peer-reviewed clinical research demonstrates that treating pregnant individuals with Suboxone or Methadone provides a significantly safer, healthier environment for both mother and baby compared to untreated opioid dependence. MAT with Suboxone lowers the severity of neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) and decreases the newborn’s required hospital stay by nearly 60%. While Methadone has long served as a standard due to decades of historical data, Suboxone has proven to be an equally viable and effective option. Deciding on any medication during pregnancy involves a careful assessment of benefits versus potential risks. At For Your Health-Julie Chicks, M.D., we collaborate directly with your obstetrician to deliver compassionate, medically sound opioid treatments in Milwaukee, WI that prioritize maternal and fetal safety.

Buprenorphine (the active ingredient in Suboxone) remains subject to distinct clinical protocols and regulatory guidelines. Historically, federal laws limited patient caps and required specific waivers that discouraged standard medical practices from prescribing it. Even today, a very small percentage of licensed physicians in the United States actively offer outpatient medication-assisted therapy, and many general clinics choose not to manage substance use disorders at all. At For Your Health-Julie Chicks, M.D., we dedicate our medical expertise to expanding patient access, providing a patient-centered alternative to high-volume suboxone clinics in Milwaukee, WI with direct physician oversight.

Both medications are proven maintenance therapies for opioid dependence, and neither requires a prolonged hospital detox before starting care. However, their pharmacological actions differ significantly: Methadone is a full opioid agonist, meaning it fully activates the opioid receptors in the brain and is traditionally administered daily through highly regulated Opioid Treatment Programs (OTPs). Suboxone (buprenorphine/naloxone) is a partial opioid agonist with a built-in ceiling effect, making it much safer against respiratory depression and suitable for standard outpatient office visits. Understanding these differences is central to guiding patients toward appropriate addiction treatments in Milwaukee, WI, ensuring each individual receives the medication best suited to their lifestyle and medical history.

The correct therapeutic dose of Suboxone is strictly personalized: it is the precise dosage that eliminates physical withdrawal symptoms and curbs cravings without causing sedation. In clinical practice, maintenance doses between 8 mg and 16 mg daily (occasionally up to 24 mg) prove therapeutic for the majority of patients. Unlike rigid programs found at some high-volume suboxone clinics in Milwaukee, WI, For Your Health-Julie Chicks, M.D. takes the time to titrate and monitor your dosage individually, ensuring your maintenance level supports full cognitive function, comfort, and ongoing recovery.

If a short-term, medically assisted taper off opioids using Suboxone is your goal, Dr. Chicks will support and supervise that process safely. While long-term maintenance therapy generally yields the highest retention and lowest relapse rates, your recovery goals remain entirely your choice. Should you decide later that continuing on maintenance therapy provides better stability and peace of mind, we will seamlessly adjust your care plan. Offering flexible, patient-driven opioid treatments in Milwaukee, WI ensures that your care aligns with your comfort and pace.

No, that is a common misconception. How smoothly an individual tapers off any medication varies widely from person to person. One patient may taper off Suboxone comfortably while finding dose reductions of Methadone or short-acting prescription painkillers much more difficult, and vice versa. This variability is exactly why rigid, one-size-fits-all taper schedules fail. Successful cessation requires personalized, physician-monitored dose adjustments paired with behavioral support. At For Your Health-Julie Chicks, M.D., we design individualized protocols that set us apart from standard addiction treatments in Milwaukee, WI, giving you the medical guidance needed to step down safely whenever you are ready.

Methadone was the earliest pharmacological agent approved for treating opiate dependence. Under federal regulations established in the early 1970s, Methadone for addiction treatment can only be dispensed through licensed Opioid Treatment Programs (OTPs). These facilities mandate intensive oversight, including mandatory daily on-site dosing for initial treatment phases and scheduled group counseling. In contrast, buprenorphine-based treatments allow qualified physicians to provide ongoing medical management directly in an outpatient office setting. For patients seeking flexible, confidential care outside of daily clinic dispensing windows, For Your Health-Julie Chicks, M.D. provides an accessible alternative to institutional programs and traditional suboxone clinics in Milwaukee, WI.

There are no guarantees, no single medication (or program), will help everyone. BUT, for everyone there is a medication (or program), which will work.

Vivitrol (generic name naltrexone) is completely unlike Suboxone and Methadone; it is not an opiate at all. It is a complete, 100% blocker of opiate activity in the brain. It is the same medication as Narcan (the opiate overdose rescue drug) but is an intramuscular injection given every 28-30 days. Vivitrol will control withdrawal symptoms, and reduce or eliminate control cravings. There must be an extended period of time between last use of an opiate and the first dose of Vivitrol, but Vivitrol does not require tapering the dose down to discontinue treatment. Any licensed health care provider can prescribe Vivitrol. Vivitrol is also used to treatment of alcohol dependence.

Being sober means not using drugs; recovery means living your life to it’s fullest potential.

Studies definitely indicate MAT combined with professional substance abuse counseling with is better than either alone.

NO. You are an individual and you are treated as an individual at For Your Health. Multiple factors influence whether or not SAC will be recommended for you. These factors include whether or not you have had your SAC previously, if your SAC effective, and what your progress has been like in the For Your Health treatment program.

These are groups of individuals who have addiction disorders who meet to support each other in their quest for sobriety and recovery. There are 2 categories of mutual-help groups- faith based vs. secular (non-faith based). The most widely known faith based mutual-help groups are the “12-step” groups, e.g. Narcotics Anonymous. SMART Recovery is a secular mutual-help group. Meetings can be face-to-face or online for any of the mutual-help groups.

The length of YOUR treatment is based on what YOU want/need. Your stage of recovery is typically given the most importance when considering discontinuing MAT. As your physician it is my responsibility to make recommendations based upon YOUR progress AND my professional experience. The better I know you as an individual; the better my advice to you will be. I will be forthright with, you if you feel differently about whether or not your goal is reasonable. Even if I disagree with your decisions regarding medication management I will support you as much as possible to ensure your success. It is MY duty as your physician to inform you of the advantages and disadvantages of each treatment option. Plainly stated, very short-term use ( up to 28 days) of MAT is not treatment at all- it’s detoxification. There is no evidence detoxing has any long term benefit at all. MAT used for 2, 3, 4 or so months is not treatment either- it’s just a longer detox. That said, there are people who have been successful under these circumstances. They truly are “exceptions to the rule”. The effectiveness of SAC they participated in while on treatment will contribute to success. When the length of treatment (whether months or years) after a patient has become sober is based upon the patient’s past experiences with sobriety and relapse, the current stability of their economic and social situations, and any underlying mental health condition (depression, anxiety, etc.) has been adequately treated - the likelihood of maintaining sobriety and recovery after discontinuing MAT is much higher.

NO. As treatment continues, progressive dose reductions are made gradually, as tolerated. Reemergence of cravings and/or withdrawal symptoms suggest the dose changes may need to be more gradual. The reason to make interval dose reductions is because when you are ready to completely taper off MAT the amount of time necessary is shorter. Simply because your dose is closer to zero (0?) mg. Keep in mind when selecting a medication for MAT, a huge advantage to Vivitrol does not require a taper, because discontinuing it does not cause withdrawal symptoms.

Yes. Long-term maintenance with Sublocade, Suboxone, Methadone, or Vivitrol may be an appropriate option for some people to support long-term recovery. Your treatment plan can be adjusted over time based on your individual needs and goals. If you initially believe you may need lifelong treatment, that decision does not have to be permanent. You can discuss changes to your treatment plan with your physician as your recovery progresses.