Medication-Assisted Treatment
Also written as: MAT — Medication-Assisted Treatment
The use of FDA-approved medications, in combination with counselling and behavioral therapies, to provide a whole-patient approach to the treatment of substance use disorders.
Full Definition
Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) integrates pharmacotherapy—such as buprenorphine, methadone, or naltrexone for opioid use disorder, and disulfiram or acamprosate for alcohol use disorder—with psychosocial interventions. It is a key treatment modality in community psychiatry settings that serve individuals with co-occurring mental health and substance use conditions. SAMHSA is the primary federal body setting MAT guidelines in the US. Editors should note the hyphenation: 'medication-assisted' is always hyphenated when used as a compound modifier. The acronym MAT is widely accepted in clinical and policy documents.
Usage
Usage note: Always hyphenate 'medication-assisted' as a compound modifier. Note that some style guides and advocacy groups prefer 'medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD)' to reduce stigma; editors should follow the document's stated preference.
In Context
- "The agency expanded its medication-assisted treatment program to include buprenorphine prescribing at satellite offices." — Community mental health program expansion report
- "Documentation of MAT must include the specific medication, dose, and prescribing clinician." — Clinical records compliance checklist