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Investing in Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Prevention and Recovery

SUDs impact the healthcare system, from increasing treatment demands to long-term health consequences for individuals and communities. The opioid crisis, a major focus of The Adventist Health Policy Association’s (AHPA) initiatives, underscored this need when it was declared a national public health emergency in 2017. This declaration brought attention to the rise in opioid-related deaths, especially those tied to long-acting narcotics initially prescribed for pain. AHPA’s comprehensive response to the crisis shows the importance of well-rounded strategies that account for the far-reaching effects of SUDs on individuals, families, and entire communities. By investing in SUD prevention and recovery efforts, healthcare systems can help lessen the toll of addiction on patients, improve community health, and create a healthcare structure that better serves everyone.

AHPA’s Multi-Faceted Approach to Addressing Substance Use Disorders

AHPA views substance use disorders, especially opioid misuse, as a critical public health issue. AHPA’s strategy goes beyond traditional healthcare, emphasizing the role of social and economic factors like mental health challenges, financial hardship, and limited access to care.

By advocating for more funding for community-based mental health services, AHPA aims to keep vulnerable populations out of emergency rooms, jails, and other settings unable to provide long-term care. AHPA also prioritizes education and training for healthcare, law enforcement, and community members to improve early detection and intervention. AHPA is building a collaborative network to support and empower communities facing SUDs by partnering with public health departments, faith communities, and schools.

AdventHealth Offers Hope and Healing to Those Struggling with Substance Use Disorders

The Hope & Healing Center in Sanford, Florida, offers tailored programs for adults with substance use disorders, including 30-day residential treatment with 24-hour care and an intensive outpatient program (IOP) for those who have completed detox. The IOP includes group therapy sessions three days a week over four to six weeks for continued support.
The Hope & Healing Center also collaborates with the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, EMS/Fire Rescue, Board of County Commissioners, and Wal-Mart to improve care for those with opioid addiction. This partnership seeks to change how the healthcare and criminal justice systems treat people with opioid addiction. AdventHealth Manchester also partners with local organizations to expand treatment resources.
AdventHealth trains ER staff at Altamonte Springs to improve substance use response.

Kettering Health’s Whole-Person Care Supports Patients from Prevention to Recovery

Kettering Health recognizes the link between mental and physical health, offering a wide range of mental and behavioral health services, including inpatient crisis stabilization, intensive outpatient programs, medication management, and counseling.
Kettering Health Network (KHN) created the “PAUSE – Not All Pain is the Same” program to combat the opioid epidemic in Montgomery County, Ohio. The program aims to provide physicians and pharmacists with alternative pain management options to opioids. Their opioid-free healthcare efforts, supported by a $1.39 Million Federal grant, include employing emergency center pain navigators who guide patients toward non-opioid pain management options.
Kettering Health focuses on connecting patients with resources for long-term recovery by providing Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) in their emergency departments, using a combination of medication, counseling, and behavioral therapies to effectively address opioid dependence. Case managers play an important role in linking patients with appropriate substance use treatment programs to ensure continued care. Kettering Health also prioritizes community education, increasing awareness of substance use disorders, responsible prescribing practices, and emerging drug trends.
In response to the opioid epidemic, Kettering Behavioral Medicine Center expanded its services to treat patients with both mental illness and substance use disorders concurrently. This approach, recognizing that treating these conditions together leads to better outcomes, involves a 14-bed co-occurring inpatient unit for patients whose primary diagnosis is a mental health illness and whose secondary diagnosis is a substance use disorder. After inpatient treatment, patients transition to the co-occurring intensive outpatient program.

Adventist Health’s Holistic Approach to Substance Use Disorders

Adventist Health offers Medication for Addiction Treatment (MAT) programs at various locations, including Clear Lake, Ukiah, and Feather River. These programs use medications like Suboxone to help manage withdrawal symptoms, offering a more manageable path toward recovery.
The CA Bridge program, implemented by several Adventist Health locations, provides patients with comprehensive support, including screening, intervention, and navigation services.
Adventist Health has incorporated Substance use Navigators (SUNs) into their teams at several locations. These navigators work directly with patients, providing support and guidance, helping to overcome barriers to treatment, and connecting them with resources such as rehab or outpatient programs.
To combat opioid overdoses, Adventist Health provides free Narcan (Naloxone) kits and training to patients, families, and community members. Narcan is a life-saving medication that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.
Adventist Health recognizes the link between substance use disorders and mental health conditions. Programs like the one at Adventist Health Glendale focus on treating both addiction and underlying mental illnesses, contributing to the success of patients’ long-term recovery.

Adventist HealthCare’s Patient Program Empowers Individuals Struggling With Substance Use While Strengthening Their Family Ties

Recognizing that inpatient treatment might not be accessible for everyone, Adventist HealthCare has implemented both intensive outpatient programs (IOP) and structured outpatient programs (SOP) for adults with substance use disorders. These programs help individuals recover from addiction while living at home.
Acknowledging that substance use disorders impact families, Adventist HealthCare offers family therapy and weekly multi-family group sessions. These family therapy sessions facilitate communication between patients and their families, while the weekly multi-family group session is where families can learn about the recovery process and address challenges they face when supporting someone in recovery.
Adventist HealthCare uses proven treatment approaches like the Matrix Model, which includes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, and Motivational Interviewing techniques.

Loma Linda’s Substance Use and Recovery Wellness (SURW) Program Offers Personalized Support to Patients

Loma Linda University Health has established a Substance Use Recovery and Wellness program at their Behavioral Medicine Center (BMC), recognizing the growing need for specialized care in this area. The SURW program treats adults suffering from a range of addictions, including alcohol, benzodiazepines, hallucinogens, opiates, and prescription drugs.
The SURW program offers a wide range of treatments, including individual and group therapy, medication management, and family support. It incorporates evidence-based approaches like the 12-step program, cognitive behavioral therapy, and motivational interviewing to help individuals maintain sobriety.
The SURW program offers specialized treatment tracks for specific needs. For instance, the Chronic Pain and Medication Dependency Track uses alternative physical treatments like acupuncture, acupressure massage therapy, and yoga to help individuals manage chronic pain without relying on narcotics or mood-altering substances.

Government Investment Can Significantly Strengthen SUD Support

Funding can support:

Expanding community-based resources like counseling and support groups, offering an alternative to institutionalization, and helping individuals access care close to home.
Increasing funding for Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) for law enforcement, with a specific focus on substance use disorders. By incorporating training modules focused on substance use disorders, law enforcement officers can better understand and respond to situations involving individuals struggling with addiction. This training can help keep individuals from the criminal justice system and direct them to the appropriate treatment and support services.
Increasing public health funding to support programs that provide job training, as well as address root causes of substance use, including food security and affordable housing.

AHPA recognizes the need for a holistic approach to healthcare when addressing SUDs. Investing in community-based resources, expanding access to treatment, and empowering individuals and families through education are just some of the ways AHPA is expanding SUD support. By implementing these strategies, healthcare systems can reduce the development of SUDs and improve the well-being of communities.