Consequences and costs of closing a publicly funded methadone maintenance clinic

Objective. Local government officials closed the Central Methadone Clinic (CMT) in Miami, Florida on May 31, 1997. This study examined the economic consequences and related costs of dosing this long-established substance abuse treatment program. Methods. Economic consequences were determined through a comparative analysis of patient status at baseline and one year following treatment cessation for Miami clients, relative to a comparison group in Jacksonville, Florida that had continued access to a publicly funded methadone treatment clinic. Outcome measures included health-care utilization, addiction treatment, employment income, and crime. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to estimate differences in consequences and related costs. Results. Total cost as well as the cost for each category (except for addiction treatment) were statistically similar for both groups. Conclusions. Clients at the CMT did not generate significant economic consequences/costs for taxpayers or society in general during the year following closure relative to clients at a comparison clinic.