GOAL

h DPH continues to promote evidence-based treatment for substance use disorders among providers and work with centralized referral systems across the region to streamline the referral process so individuals with SUD can more easily find available appointments with providers.

h DPH investigates the potential to implement telehealth appointments, by DPH Clinical Services and/or contracted medical services, within our clinics for the initiation and maintenance of MAT.

h DPH will continue to engage in collaborative efforts to improve access to care for residents across St. Louis County.

Partners

„ Area health systems, including BJC, Mercy, and SSM, continue to link patients who arrive at an emergency department post-overdose to community-based treatment via Behavioral Health Network’s programs: EPICC for adults and Youth Emergency Room Enhancement for minors.

„ The CENTER Initiative expands equal, responsive, and timely access to the existing regional substance use treatment and service options for Black people who use drugs.

„ The Missouri Hospital Association continues to encourage more emergency department physicians to begin MAT for patients immediately following an overdose.

® DPH conducts a feasibility study for a substance use support center in North County.

® Pending the results of the feasibility study and funding support, DPH begins the planning stages of a substance use support center in North County.

4 Antonisse, Garfield, Rudowitz, & Guth, 2019. The Effects of Medicaid Expansion under the ACA: Updated Findings from a Literature Review, kff.org)

5 Aslim, Erkmen Giray and Mungan, Murat C. and Navarro, Carlos and Yu, Han, The Effect of Public Health Insurance on Criminal Recidivism (February 19, 2020). Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, Forthcoming, George Mason Law & Economics Research Paper No. 19-19, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3425457 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3425457)