Quick answer
Heroin is an illegal opioid, and medication for opioid use disorder is the treatment most likely to keep you alive and in care. Within 30 miles of Memphis, the SAMHSA locator lists 2 federally certified opioid treatment programs and 14 buprenorphine prescribers. Shelby County's overdose deaths have fallen to 284. Here is how to start.
Published: 2026-10-25 Updated: 2026-10-25
Heroin is one of the most feared drugs and one of the most treatable. The medications that keep people alive and in care are available across Memphis, and they work regardless of how long someone has been using. This page explains the options, the local numbers, and the step that starts recovery.
What treatment works best for heroin in Memphis?
It depends on how your days are structured and what you will try first. Methadone is dispensed at a federally certified program and requires regular visits at the start, which suits people who can reach a clinic and want the most monitored option — Memphis has two within 30 miles. Buprenorphine can be prescribed from an office visit or by telehealth and is often the easier first call, with 14 prescribers in the radius. Naltrexone only works after heroin has cleared your body. All three lower the risk of dying; NIDA treats medication as the standard of care.
How heroin and opioids are affecting Shelby County
CDC's provisional county-level data count 284 drug overdose deaths among Shelby County residents in the 12 months ending March 2026, down from 351 the year before. These are provisional and may be revised. The decline tracks the statewide drop to 2,499 deaths in 2024, down 31% from 2023, but Shelby County's rate still runs above the state and national averages, and most of these deaths involve opioids.
Heroin's specific danger starts with what is actually in the bag: a large share of the supply contains fentanyl, so the dose is unpredictable. For people who inject, infections including HIV and hepatitis C are a second risk, and getting tested is part of good care.
Medication for opioid use disorder near Memphis
Per NIDA, methadone and buprenorphine reduce withdrawal and craving and lower overdose deaths, and naltrexone blocks opioids' effects after they leave the body. The SAMHSA locator pull on October 25, 2026 within 30 miles of Memphis lists:
- 2 federally certified opioid treatment programs and 2 offering methadone maintenance
- 14 facilities that prescribe buprenorphine and 14 that use or prescribe naltrexone
- 5 offering detoxification and 8 with residential programs
- 26 offering outpatient care and 20 with intensive outpatient programs
- 28 reporting naloxone and overdose education and 22 accepting Medicaid
Counts change as programs open and close, so confirm current openings on FindTreatment.gov or by phone.
Naloxone and staying alive to recover
Tennessee's standing order law lets pharmacies provide naloxone without a personal prescription, and 28 of the facilities in the Memphis radius report offering naloxone and overdose education. If someone is unresponsive, breathing slowly, or has blue lips: call 911, give naloxone, stay with them, and repeat after 2 to 3 minutes if there is no response. Naloxone cannot reverse xylazine if that sedative is also present, so the 911 call still matters.
Paying for heroin treatment in Memphis
TennCare covers medically necessary opioid use disorder treatment for eligible members through BlueCare Tennessee, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Tennessee, or Wellpoint. Of the facilities in the Memphis radius, 22 report accepting Medicaid and 16 report a sliding fee scale. Tennessee has not expanded Medicaid, so TN REDLINE at 1-800-889-9789 (call or text, 24/7) is the fastest route to state-funded care if you are uninsured.
How to start today
- In an emergency, call 911 and give naloxone if you have it. For a crisis, call or text 988, or the Memphis Crisis Center at 901-274-7477.
- Call or text (800) 653-9376 to talk through medication and detox options with a specialist, or use this form:
Calling is free; the referral service is paid for by treatment providers, and we check your benefits before you commit.
- Ask each program whether there is a waitlist for intake and whether they can bridge you to medication on the first visit.
- Pick up naloxone and, if you inject, ask about sterile supplies and hepatitis C testing at your first appointment.
Heroin dependence is a medical condition with medical treatment, and that treatment is here. Across Memphis, recovery usually begins with one honest phone call.
Learn more: drug and alcohol rehab in Memphis, Suboxone treatment in Memphis, and medication for opioid use disorder.
This page is general health information, not medical advice. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by any facility named above.
Other Heroin treatment in Tennessee: Heroin treatment in Bristol, Tennessee, Heroin treatment in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Heroin treatment in Clarksville, Tennessee, Heroin treatment in Cookeville, Tennessee, Heroin treatment in Franklin, Tennessee, Heroin treatment in Jackson, Tennessee, Heroin treatment in Johnson City, Tennessee, Heroin treatment in Kingsport, Tennessee, Heroin treatment in Knoxville, Tennessee, Heroin treatment in Maryville, Tennessee, Heroin treatment in Morristown, Tennessee, Heroin treatment in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
Last updated: Sun Oct 25 2026 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)
Frequently asked questions
What is the best treatment for heroin addiction in Memphis?
The evidence favors medication for opioid use disorder. NIDA reports that methadone and buprenorphine reduce craving and withdrawal and lower the risk of dying, while detox without ongoing medication has high relapse rates. Within 30 miles of Memphis, a FindTreatment.gov pull on October 25, 2026 lists 2 federally certified opioid treatment programs and 14 buprenorphine prescribers.
How do I stop heroin safely?
Heroin withdrawal is intensely uncomfortable but rarely life-threatening on its own; the greater danger is relapse and overdose, because tolerance drops during a break. A medically supervised detox, offered by 5 facilities in the Memphis radius, plus a plan to start medication, is safer than stopping alone. Sixteen facilities report a sliding fee scale.
Why is fentanyl in heroin so dangerous?
Much of what is sold as heroin contains fentanyl, a synthetic opioid far more potent than heroin. Overdoses can progress within minutes and may need more than one naloxone dose. Naloxone does not reverse xylazine, a sedative increasingly mixed into the supply, so call 911 even after giving a dose and stay with the person.
How many people die of overdose in Shelby County?
CDC's provisional county data count 284 drug overdose deaths among Shelby County residents in the 12 months ending March 2026, down from 351 the year before. Statewide, Tennessee recorded 2,499 overdose deaths in 2024, down 31% from 2023. The decline is real, but Shelby County's rate still runs above the state and national averages.
Does TennCare cover heroin treatment in Memphis?
For eligible members, TennCare covers medically necessary opioid use disorder treatment, including buprenorphine and methadone, through BlueCare Tennessee, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Tennessee, or Wellpoint. Of the facilities in the Memphis radius, 22 accept Medicaid. Uninsured residents can call or text TN REDLINE at 1-800-889-9789 for funded programs.