Medication-Assisted Treatment
Medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder — inside a real psychiatry practice.
Buprenorphine and monthly Sublocade, managed by a board-certified addiction medicine physician who also treats the depression, anxiety, and trauma that so often travel with it. Confidential, and built for the long term.
Medically reviewed by C. Britt Beasley, MD · Last reviewed June 10, 2026
The treatment
What MAT is
Medication-assisted treatment uses FDA-approved medication to treat opioid use disorder — reducing cravings and withdrawal so you can stabilize and rebuild. It is the standard of care, supported by strong evidence, and it is medicine, not a moral test. At Richmond Brain & Behavior, MAT is delivered by Dr. Beasley, who is board-certified in addiction medicine in addition to psychiatry.
The medications
Two forms of buprenorphine
Buprenorphine (Suboxone)
A daily film or tablet that controls cravings and withdrawal by acting on the same receptors opioids do, but in a controlled, ceilinged way. It lets you function — work, drive, parent — without the cycle of use.
Sublocade
A monthly injectable form of buprenorphine, given in-office. For patients who do better without a daily pill to manage, Sublocade provides steady, once-a-month coverage. Dr. Beasley helps you decide which form fits your life.
These are controlled substances, so prescribing includes appropriate safeguards — including checks of Virginia's Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP/PDMP). That structure exists to keep treatment safe, and it's a normal part of good care.
Why MAT inside a serious psychiatry practice matters
Opioid use disorder rarely travels alone. Depression, anxiety, PTSD, and trauma are common companions — and treating addiction while ignoring those is treating half the problem.
Because Dr. Beasley is both a psychiatrist and an addiction medicine specialist, you don't have to split your care across two practices that don't talk to each other. The same physician manages your MAT and your psychiatric care together — including, where appropriate, the interventional treatments this practice offers.
Your privacy is protected
Plainly: federal law (42 CFR Part 2) gives substance use treatment records additional confidentiality protections beyond ordinary medical privacy. Your participation in MAT is not something that gets shared casually.
Many people delay treatment out of fear of who might find out — you don't have to carry that here. If you have specific privacy concerns, ask, and we'll explain exactly how your information is handled.
Are you a candidate?
MAT is appropriate for adults with opioid use disorder who want to stabilize and reduce or stop use. There's no requirement that you've “hit bottom,” and there's no shame in starting. Dr. Beasley will evaluate your history, discuss buprenorphine versus Sublocade, and start a plan that fits where you actually are.
Where clinically appropriate, parts of MAT care can be managed by telehealth — removing a real barrier for people balancing work and family. Induction is in-person; ongoing management is flexible.
MAT questions
Common questions
Is MAT confidential?
What's the difference between Suboxone and Sublocade?
Do I have to stop everything before I start?
Can MAT be managed by telehealth?
Now accepting new patients
Starting is the hard part. Make it one call.
Request an appointment and the office will reach out promptly. MAT is confidential, evidence-based, and built around where you actually are — not where someone thinks you should be.