Methadone Clinics in Tennessee

Methadone clinics in Tennessee have helped many residents overcome the challenges of addiction by providing them with medically assisted intervention which reduces cravings, curbs withdrawal symptoms and minimizes the risk of relapse.

Methadone Clinics in cities of Tennessee

Medication treatment for opioid use disorder across Tennessee

Tennessee runs on a split access picture. The four metros, Memphis, Nashville, Knoxville, and Chattanooga, hold most of the state’s opioid treatment programs and office-based prescribers, while large stretches of rural East and West Tennessee sit far from the nearest clinic, and telehealth has become the practical way many people there start and stay on treatment. The three FDA-approved medications for opioid use disorder (OUD), methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone, are all available in the state, through either a licensed opioid treatment program (OTP) or a doctor’s office. The listings on this page point you to providers; the sections below explain what they offer and how to begin. If you need to talk to someone first, the Tennessee REDLINE (1-800-889-9789) gives free, confidential referrals around the clock.

The three medications and the two places you can get them

Treatment for opioid use disorder uses one of three medications, and which setting you go to depends on the medication.

Methadone is a daily liquid that steadies the same receptors opioids act on, which controls withdrawal and cravings without the highs and lows. For OUD it is provided only through a licensed opioid treatment program, not a regular pharmacy. That means in-person dosing at the clinic at first, with take-home doses earned over time as treatment stabilizes.

Buprenorphine, including Suboxone and other buprenorphine-naloxone products and the extended-release monthly injection Sublocade, is a partial agonist with a built-in ceiling that lowers overdose risk. It can be prescribed in a doctor’s office (office-based opioid treatment, or OBOT) and filled at a pharmacy, or provided inside an OTP. Since the federal X-waiver was eliminated in 2023, any clinician with a standard DEA registration can prescribe it, subject to state law, which has widened where you can get it. Starting buprenorphine too soon after fentanyl can trigger sudden, severe withdrawal (called precipitated withdrawal), so a clinician times the first dose with you.

Naltrexone, including the monthly Vivitrol injection, blocks opioids rather than activating them. Any licensed prescriber can order it, but you have to be fully off opioids for a set period before starting, or it brings on withdrawal. To understand the trade-offs between agonist and antagonist options, it helps to read how methadone and Suboxone compare and the broader overview of methadone treatment. There is no single best medication; the right fit is a decision you make with a clinician based on your history, your goals, and your life. For background on the clinic setting itself, see what a methadone clinic involves day to day.

State rules, TennCare coverage, and how Tennessee applies the federal flexibilities

Tennessee’s Medicaid program is TennCare, and how it covers each medication is worth knowing before you call. TennCare covers methadone for OUD when it is dispensed through a certified opioid treatment program; it does not cover methadone for OUD as a pharmacy prescription, which mirrors federal law. For buprenorphine, TennCare runs a specialized network called BESMART (Buprenorphine Enhanced Supportive Medication Assisted Recovery and Treatment); prescribers in that network face reduced prior-authorization requirements, which can mean fewer delays for you. TennCare also covers the Vivitrol injection. The state’s behavioral health agency, the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (TDMHSAS), oversees the broader treatment and recovery system.

On the federal flexibilities, two things matter as of June 2026. Buprenorphine can be started through telehealth, including by phone in many cases, without a prior in-person visit; a permanent buprenorphine telemedicine rule took effect at the end of 2025, and a broader temporary telehealth allowance runs through December 31, 2026. Those rules are still being finalized, so confirm current options with a provider. Methadone for OUD remains started and dispensed through an OTP, though some programs can begin treatment with a telehealth visit. Federal rules updated in 2024 also expanded take-home methadone, up to a 28-day supply for patients who are stable in treatment, with the program deciding eligibility. Tennessee employs people in safety-sensitive industries where treatment and privacy intersect; if that applies to you, information on methadone and employment is a useful starting point, and staying consistent with your dose matters most during any job or insurance transition.

Where Tennessee stands on overdoses

The trend has turned. Provisional data from TDMHSAS show 2,473 Tennesseans died from a drug overdose in 2024, a decline of more than 30 percent, down from 3,826 deaths in 2022 (Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, 2024). Most of those deaths involved illicit fentanyl, the synthetic opioid that has driven the crisis and that makes street drugs unpredictable. Numbers like these describe real loss in communities across the state, but they also sit alongside a fact that matters more if you are reading this for yourself or someone you love: effective medication treatment exists in Tennessee, it is reachable, and starting it is the single most protective step against a fatal overdose. The providers listed on this page are where that starts. For a fuller picture of the condition and how treatment works, see this overview of opioid addiction.

How to find and start treatment in Tennessee

Starting usually begins with an intake assessment, where a clinician reviews your opioid use, your health, and your goals, then talks through which medication fits. Bring an ID and insurance or TennCare information if you have them, but not having insurance does not stop you from being seen; many programs offer self-pay or sliding-scale options and can connect you to coverage. Some buprenorphine providers offer same-day or next-day starts, often by telehealth, which is frequently the fastest route in rural counties where the nearest clinic is in another town. If you are weighing residential or hospital-based care against outpatient medication treatment, opioid addiction treatment options and the distinction drawn in inpatient treatment can help you decide what to look for. Use the listings above to find providers near you, or call the helpline on this page to be pointed in the right direction.

Pregnancy, the justice system, and reentry

For people who are pregnant, methadone and buprenorphine are the recommended standard of care for opioid use disorder, and stopping medication abruptly carries real risk to both parent and pregnancy. Neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS) can occur in newborns but is expected, screened for, and managed; it is not a reason to avoid treatment. Fear of child-welfare involvement keeps some pregnant patients from seeking care, but staying in treatment is what protects a pregnancy, and Tennessee’s perinatal providers work within that framework. You can read more about methadone and pregnancy for what to expect. For people entering treatment through drug court, probation, or reentry after incarceration, what counts is finding a provider that accepts the referral and the funding source and can document attendance where required; continuity right after release is a high-risk window, and a planned medication restart lowers that risk. Families often do the early legwork here, and guidance for families covers how to help without pushing someone away.

Naloxone and overdose safety in Tennessee

Naloxone, the medication that reverses an opioid overdose, is widely available in Tennessee and worth keeping on hand for anyone close to opioid use. Pharmacists across the state can dispense it without an individual prescription, and a 2024 state law (Public Chapter 824) lets Tennessee pharmacists independently prescribe and dispense it. Regional Overdose Prevention Specialists (ROPS) provide free naloxone and training in all 95 counties, and TennCare covers up to two naloxone products a month for a copay of about five dollars. Tennessee’s Good Samaritan law, in place since 2014, offers legal protection to someone seeking help during an overdose. A return to use can happen on the road through a chronic condition; it is a signal to re-engage with care, not a failure. Keep naloxone available, call 911 for any suspected overdose, and stay with the person until help arrives. For more on overdose risk and response, see this guide to overdose and safety.

Common questions about treatment in Tennessee

Does TennCare cover medication for opioid use disorder?

Yes. TennCare covers buprenorphine through its BESMART provider network, the Vivitrol injection, and methadone when it is dispensed through a licensed opioid treatment program. Methadone for OUD is not covered as a regular pharmacy prescription. Prior-authorization rules vary, so ask the provider what applies to your plan.

Can I start treatment by telehealth in Tennessee?

Often, yes, for buprenorphine. As of 2026, it can be started through telehealth, including by phone in many cases, without a prior in-person visit, under federal rules that run through the end of the year and are still being finalized. Methadone for OUD is still started through an opioid treatment program, though some allow a telehealth first visit.

Do I have to go to a clinic every day?

Only methadone requires daily in-person dosing at first, and take-home doses, up to a 28-day supply, are earned as treatment stabilizes under 2024 federal rules. Buprenorphine and naltrexone are prescribed in an office and filled at a pharmacy, so they do not involve daily clinic visits.

What does methadone treatment cost without insurance?

Costs vary by program, and this page does not list per-clinic pricing. Many Tennessee programs offer self-pay or sliding-scale fees, and federal block-grant funding helps some people who are uninsured. Ask each provider directly, and ask about TennCare eligibility while you are at it.

Is methadone just trading one drug for another?

No. This is a common myth. Methadone and buprenorphine are prescribed, steady-dose medications that normalize brain chemistry disrupted by opioid use, which is why federal health agencies treat them as standard medical care for a chronic condition. You can read more in our questions and answers, including whether methadone itself is addictive.

Page information and disclosures

Last reviewed June 2026.

Sources:

Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, overdose statistics and naloxone resources, 2024.
Tennessee Division of TennCare, opioid strategy, BESMART program, and OTP/methadone billing, 2025-2026.
Tennessee Department of Health, naloxone access and Good Samaritan law.
SAMHSA and DEA, medications for opioid use disorder and telemedicine rules, 2025-2026.
FDA, approved medications for opioid use disorder.

Methadone Centers is an informational directory and educational resource, not a medical provider or treatment facility. We do not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a licensed clinician about your care.

The helpline featured on this site is operated by a paid advertiser. Calls may be routed to a sponsoring treatment provider. Using this directory and its listings does not obligate you to any provider, and you can contact any program directly.