21st Century Cures Act “Resourcing & Addressing the Opioid Addiction Crisis in North Carolina”
A White Paper By
The HEAG Pain Management Corporations Greensboro | Archdale | Greenville | Durham
21st Century Cures Act: National Opioid Epidemic “Resourcing and Addressing The Opioid Addiction Crisis in North Carolina”
Background In 2015 more than 15,000 people died of an overdose which involved the use of prescription opioids. In addition, some 18,000 people died of an overdose from street purchased heroin. Unquestionably, there is an opioid epidemic in the United States. Since 1999, the amount of prescription opioids sold in our country has increased four-fold. Due to this massive increase in the legal distribution of opioid pain relievers, more people are becoming addicted. In many cases, addiction to
prescribed opioids lead to the use of heroin. When people who have developed a dependency on opioid painkillers can no longer get a prescription, many opt for cheaper and more readily available illegal alternatives. Heroin addiction is on the rise, in part, as a result of the over-prescribing of opioids.
2000-2015: more than 500,000 people have died from a drug overdose in America. 1999-2017: Approximately 13,000 people have died in N.C. from an unintentional opioid overdose. North Carolina, like many states in America, is experiencing a social and medical health crisis arising out of the use of both illegal drugs and prescription drugs.
This White Paper is offered by the HEAG Pain Management Center, P.A. and the HEAG Foundation, Inc. as a pathway to more effective treatment of the opioid epidemic in North Carolina. The costs of the initiatives outlined in this “White Paper” are estimated to be 2.5-3 million dollars.
The basis for the recommendations herein is the clinical experience of Dr. Kwado Gyarteng-Dakwa and his pain management treatment clinics in Durham, Greenville, Greensboro and Archdale. Dr. Dakwa’s patient base is approximate 3,000 visits per month.
Resourcing and Addressing The Problem in North Carolina In the closing days of the Obama administration, Congress appropriated substantial funds to address the opioid crisis in America. The State of North Carolina has been appropriated approximately $31 million in federal monies to address the opioid epidemic across the state. These additional resources are critical to confronting a rising social and medical problem. However, just as critical as the availability of funds is the allocation of the funding in such a way the critical component of treatment and recovery are addressed.
Mental Health Treatment
Access To Treatment & Care
A critical component of addiction and pain management treatment is addressing closely aligned mental health problems. Unfortunately, partly due to failure of Medicaid to pay for mental health treatment, mental health treatment has not been given the priority it so desperately needs. The HEAG clinics will seek to expand to its’ current mental health treatment services at each of its’ four clinics.
Bringing persons addicted to opioids, particularly those without medical insurance, into treatment in critical to stemming the deaths from heroin use. The four HEAG clinics will seek to initiate an education and awareness program employing trained counselors who will go out into targeted communities to identify and assist those suffering from addiction but lack treatment and care. This is initiative is of particular importance to lowmoderate income urban and rural communities.
Transportation The HEAG clinics recognize that a substantial barrier to treatment and recovery for many patients is access to reliable transportation to treatment. The HEAG clinics will seek to initiate a transportation service to confront this barrier to treatment, particularly for patients living in rural communities. Transportation service, originating from each of the four HEAG clinics, will provide round trip service to individuals within 25 miles of each clinic.
Conference The HAEG clinics, in association with North Carolina Central University, College of Behavioral Science, will organize and host a conference addressing the opioid crisis in North Carolina. The conference will include medical professionals, religious and community leaders, academics and other stakeholders seeking to explore best practices to address the crisis and to build bridges between those engaged in finding solutions.
The Jubilee House Fayetteville, NC The HEAG organization proposed an initiative and collaboration with Barbara Marshall and the her nonprofit organization committed to serving the needs of female homeless veterans. The Jubilee House initiative with provide residential treatment services to female veterans, who are homeless, and suffer from an opioid addiction.
Contact:
In conjunction with the Veterans Administration based out of Fort Bragg, the HAEG organization and Mrs. Marshall will provide a highly specialized service to an isolated segment of our community. The history of Mrs. Marshall servicing this particularly demographic in need of services must be leveraged in our efforts to provide treatment and care to those in most need. Our special responsibility to the men and women who have served our country in the military, warrant this type of initiative.
Ken Nixon, Ph.D., J.D., M.F.A. The HEAG Foundation, Inc. 203 Pomona Drive Greensboro, NC 27407 (336) 542-2127 Photos By Patti G. Smith
About Dr. Dakwa…
Kwadwo Gyarteng-Dakwa, M.D. has an impressive array of study and certificates that has increased over the years. His specialties include anesthesiology & pain management. His studies started in Russia 1984 where he attended Volgograd State Medical Institute. During this time he was the publisher of Medical Journal in English and Russian languages. He received his MD in June 1990.
Dr.Dakwa’s post-doctoral fellowship in critical care was at Yale University School of Medicine. His residency was in anesthesiology included training in general, neurology, trauma, obstetric, pediatric, cardiac and pain management. Aside from his impressive history and dedication to his profession, he now runs a private practice with four locations. He attended Seton Hall University – School of Graduate Medical Training in 1997. In 1995–1997 he served at St. Joseph Hospital and Medical Center in Paterson, NJ. He has reviewed for American Boards of Anesthesiologists. Currently he holds active licenses in NY, CT, VA, NC, OH, TN, NV, KY, HI and MI.
HEAG Pain Management Centers’ Staff
Proposed Budget: 21st Century Cures Grant The HEAG Foundation, Inc. in conjunction with North Carolina Department of Health & Human Services
Activity Treatment Services
Outreach and Engagement Services
Recovery Support Services
Conference
Media Campaign
Overhead
Description
Amount
ASAM Levels of Care: • Withdrawal Management • ASAM Level 1 • ASAM Levels 2.1 & 2.5 (SACOT) Lab Services FDA Approved Medications Quick recovery teams and recovery partners to provide outreach, engagement, linkage, support for survivors of opioid overdoses and reversals. Peer mentoring, peer coaching, recovery partners. Transportation, child care and other services. “Resourcing and Addressing the Opioid Addiction Crisis in North Carolina.” North Carolina Central University. Literature, social media campaign, internet radio. Administrative costs (10%) Total
$2,150,000.00
$125,000.00
$200,000.00
$25,000.00
$15,000.00
251,500.00 $2,766,500.00
“The greatest gift you can give your family and the world is a healthy you” - Joyce Meyer