We have all seen the headlines. It seems each day we read yet another story about a tragic death due to heroin or opioid drugs. Hospital emergency departments everywhere are dealing with increasing numbers of drug overdoses. Families are losing loved ones. There is no doubt that this nationwide epidemic has found its way to Bradford and Olean, N.Y.
The majority of drug overdose deaths involve an opiate. According to the Centers for Disease Control, 78 Americans die every day from an opioid overdose. Upper Allegheny Health System is concerned and wants to help. We believe collaboration among local providers, law enforcement agencies and our communities to provide treatment and awareness of this overwhelming heroin epidemic is essential to combatting this problem effectively. Those struggling with addiction risk death each and every time they use. Families are devastated and children are placed at an increased risk for substance abuse. Now more than ever, working together to provide awareness and education is important. To fight this epidemic, we need to share our knowledge of resources.
Fortunately, our area has important resources that are not available in most rural communities. Bradford Regional Medical Center’s Behavioral Health Services program has valuable resources to help those with substance abuse problems.
The hospital’s multidisciplinary treatment team includes psychiatrists, a licensed psychologist, registered nurses, a social worker, case managers, mental health therapists, and support staff. BRMC treatment programs provide group, individual, and family therapy, and includes the key component of effective continuing care planning. The BRMC Dual Diagnosis Unit is a 21-day distinct inpatient program for individuals 18 and older who are dually diagnosed with a psychiatric and a substance abuse disorder. Of this patient population, approximately 85 percent have an opiate/heroin addiction. The Dual Diagnosis unit is a 16-bed unit that provides individual, group and family therapy through a unique, individualized treatment program. Patients participate in nine to 11 structured groups daily ranging in intensity from psycho-educational/didactic groups to recreational therapy. Patients also receive daily individual sessions with a psychiatrist and mental health therapist.
BRMC’s Buprenorphine Program is another resource for adults age 18 and older who require treatment for an opiate addiction. In collaboration with Alcohol & Drug Abuse Services, this program provides medication induction and medication management for 30 individuals while ADAS provides clinical and case management services for the program.
BRMC’s Intensive Outpatient Program is a substance abuse program designed to provide a rigorous level of therapy and education to individuals who need a higher level of care than standard outpatient, but do not meet the criteria for inpatient care. Each person is provided group and individual treatment sessions. The focus of IOP is on addiction recovery and relapse prevention, but there is flexibility to allow the program to be tailored to other needs of each person including mental health, career, and relationship counselling. The group sessions are three days per week, three hours per day, for a total of eight weeks.
Reversing this opioid problem will not come easily or quickly. At UAHS, we offer our resources and the commitment to work collaboratively with area health departments, law enforcement, community agencies and the general public to create a strategy to combat this critical problem.
In you have any questions please feel free to contact us at 800-446-2583 for more information.
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(Jacqueline Shine-Dixon, M.B.A., B.S., C.C.S.M., C.C.D.P., is the system director of Behavioral Health Services at Bradford Regional Medical Center and Olean (N.Y.) General Hospital.)
