Integrated Services for Behavioral Health’s innovative approach to Medication Assisted Treatment funded by a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Grant has made great strides since its initiation in February 2022. A team of fifteen staff partially funded by the grant provide improved access to care, removal of barriers to treatment, and better coordination for patients with cooccurring disorders.

One of the major goals of the grant was to reduce the average wait time to access medications for opiate use disorder. Prior to the initiation of this grant-funded program, access to critical treatment had been 27 days from referral to initiation of treatment. From the months of February to June 2022, clients have been able to gain access to services in a home-based setting within 15 days, a 43% reduction in access to care.

In addition to access to care, the grant set goals for the use of peers with lived experience in recovery to assist patients with opiate use disorders to overcome technology and transportation barriers. A dedicated team of six grant-funded peer supporters have logged 450 encounters for 79 patients in the first five months of the grant. This staff have also assisted clients with access to other services available within ISBH to provide wrap-around care to our clients.

Each Wednesday morning, all staff funded by the grant attend a collaborative meeting to discuss patient care. These “huddles” have become a core feature of the program, allowing staff to communicate and coordinate outreach activities for patients who may have lost contact with the program. Additionally, the weekly huddle allows peers to provide background for patients who might have life events that jeopardize their recovery and the team creates a plan for additional support. These huddles place patient care and communication in the forefront and have become an important part of the success of the program.

We look forward to continuing services with our home-based program which has assisted so many with access to medications for opiate use disorder.