State initiatives
Jim McClelland, executive director for Indiana’s drug prevention, treatment and enforcement, and Dr. Jennifer Walthall, secretary of the state Family and Social Services Administration, attended Wednesday night’s ASAP community report meeting to talk about state efforts in the opioid crisis.
In a question-and-answer session with ASAP executive lead Jeff Jones, McClelland described ASAP’s efforts as remarkable, and something that will have a tremendous impact in the Columbus community. “What you’re doing here is a wonderful example for the state,” he said.
However, he cautioned that not every city would be able to replicate it, as every city’s resources and organizational structure will differ.
Working on the state level, McClelland said Indiana officials quickly learned how complex the opioid problem is, and as a result have set broad priorities to “keep people alive.”
The state is working to expand access to medical-assisted treatment and is working to improve the state’s prescription-monitoring program.
Walthall emphasized that her agency is working to align sectors that need to work together on the opioid addiction problem. She mentioned housing for those in recovery as one of the biggest challenges and the need for more drug abuse prevention and skills training, along with strengthening family relationships.
She said the “cliff effect” for some people in recovery was especially worrisome, telling the story of a man in medical-assisted treatment who was working. But when the holidays rolled around and he was told to work overtime, he made too much money to still qualify for Medicaid-assistance for $1,000 a month cost of his drug therapy for recovery, she said.
“We worked to try to recalculate everything, but he was forced to choose between his life and his job,” she said. “He quit his job. We can’t have this cliff effect where we’re making people make these kind of decisions. We can’t penalize them for succeeding.”
The Hub
ASAP’s Hub is a proposed resource center connecting people throughout a Substance Abuse Support System, including service providers and recovery support programs. Although The Hub is a concept right now, ASAP hopes to have a small staff supported by an army of recovery-trained volunteers as part of its program. Since The Hub will be an actual location in the community, there will be access to recovery-oriented community partners either on a walk-in basis or online. A proposal is being prepared to submit to the Substance Abuse Public Funding Board to financially support The Hub.
Physician prescribing practices
ASAP physician lead Dr. Kevin Terrell is working with four groups representing the Columbus Regional Hospital emergency department, inpatient/hospital, outpatient/ambulatory and surgeons to identify pain management protocols for opioids which will be listed as best practices and placed in the medical records system where every doctor can access them. The effort is also reaching out to non-CRH physicians, dentists and oral surgeons to share the information.
Medical-assisted treatment
Columbus Regional Health is in the process of creating an addiction medical specialty clinic within the health system, a medical practice focused on helping patients in recovery. The practice would include a combination of medical-assisted treatment and behavioral therapy and area physicians could make referrals. The new practice could be available later this year.
Recovery coaches
Centerstone Recovery Coaches will be part of the Columbus Regional Hospital emergency department starting this spring. The coaches are available for patients who come to the emergency department and need to talk with a peer about entering the recovery process. Hospital officials hope to have recovery coaches in the department by mid-summer.
Nurse-family partnership
A local program called the Nurse-Family Partnership through Goodwill is beginning in Columbus to help low-income, first-time mothers. It was established to prevent drug addiction and promote health education and economic attainment. The first nurse who will be working in Columbus has been hired.
The court system
Two courts designed to help individuals and families in crisis as a result of opioid addiction are being developed. A Family Recovery Court under the administration of Magistrate Heather Mollo has been certified, and accepted its first family this month. Circuit Court Judge Kelly Benjamin and the ASAP intervention team are making site visits to determine best practices for a Problem Solving Bartholomew County Adult Drug Court, which could be in place in 2019.
Housing
Human Services Inc., Columbus Township and Centerstone have partnered and received a $300,000 grant to be used to help people re-enter society after completing Community Corrections programs by assisting with rent expenses. The grant will be used to help pay rent for women who are coming from the WRAP program, a jail-based addictions recovery program for females that began in 2011. The program has had 13 graduations with 91 participants in the program since 2011.
Drug take-backs
Indiana State Police First Sgt. Matt Burkhardt and Columbus Police Detective Chris Couch staffed a drug take-back event Wednesday night at the ASAP report meeting that allowed community residents to drop off unused and unwanted prescriptions, no questions asked. They collected four and a half large bags of medication that will be disposed of safely, according to ASAP officials. In addition to that effort, ASAP officials announced that drug take-back bins are located in three locations in Columbus, Columbus Regional Hospital emergency department, Walgreens on Beam Road and CVS on National Road. The hospital location has collected 200 pounds of prescription drugs so far, ASAP officials said.
Republic assistant managing editor Julie McClure compiled this report.
