In the fall of 2022, West Virginia implemented an opioid and substance misuse prevention program named Game Changer in three public high schools. The first of its kind in the nation program uses student peer leadership programs that focus on building school environments that foster and promote healthy living and staying away from using or experimenting with alcohol and drugs....
To complement the opioid prescribing guidelines that the University of Buffalo Department of Emergency Medicine established in 2016, Dr. Joshua Lynch developed the Medication for Addiction Treatment and Electronic Referrals (MATTERS) program. He saw the need for MATTERs because the “window of opportunity” to help someone with a substance use disorder is small, and he wanted to immediately link a patient who had overdosed to a treatment program that is right for that individual....
In 2018, the city of Chicago, IL gained an ally in the fight against fatal overdoses and substance use disorder in the non-profit organization, To Walk in My Shoes. Co-founded by Marnell Brown, a person in long term recovery, To Walk in My Shoes provides resources and support for those in need in the community. In addition to providing individuals with job skills training, including interview practice and how to write a resume, money management skills, and conflict resolution skills, To Walk in My Shoes also works to raise awareness about and provide testing for HIV/AIDS....
Paramedics in the State of New Jersey are permitted to carry and administer buprenorphine to treat acute withdrawal symptoms after having had an opioid overdose reversed with naloxone. The directive, via Executive Order from the State Health Commissioner, simply added buprenorphine to the list of medications available to paramedics in the MICUs and required officials in each county to train paramedics on the protocol. ...
The Coordinated Opioid Recovery (CORE) Network, overseen by the Florida Department of Health, the Florida Department of Children and Families, and the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration establishes a system of care for individuals suffering from substance use disorder (SUD). CORE provides a state-supported, coordinated system of addiction care for individuals with SUD and has provided approximately 550,000 services to support patients since its inception in 2022....
The goal of the Substance Use Navigator Program is to expand drug and alcohol abuse counseling to more emergency departments throughout California, and eventually bring 24-7 access to addiction treatment to all hospitals in the state by 2025....
Tough as a Mother is a non-profit organization, the mission of which is to decrease stigma, educate providers, and connect pregnant and parenting mothers to treatment and recovery supports using “gender-responsive” treatment....
Aware Recovery is an in-home addiction treatment program that provides behavioral healthcare that addresses the root causes of addiction, providing ongoing support to clients as they navigate the challenges of recovery....
Legendary Legacies, a Worcester, Massachusetts gang rehabilitation and reentry nonprofit organization, serves men of color aged 17-24 who are not served by traditional educational, legal, or community-based entities. Based on four pillars: (1) belief; (2) opportunity; (3) transformation; and (4) brotherhood, the faith-inspired program provides participants with the basic life skills, case management assistance, family support services, and recreational and service opportunities through mentorships. The goal is to reduce recidivism and for these individuals to ultimately become contributing members of the community. ...
In the beginning of 2022, the West Virginia Drug Intervention Institute, the West Virginia Collegiate Recovery Network, and Marshall University, a public research university in Huntington, West Virginia, launched an overdose prevention initiative on every public and private college campus in West Virginia. The program, entitled, “Be The One” focuses on opioid overdose prevention from a bystander’s perspective, encouraging students, staff, and faculty to “be the one” to save a life....