IN THIS ISSUE
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IEOCC is named awardee of 3-year CDHP grant funding
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Inland Empire’s MAT Hub Update: Interview with
Kathy Hitchens
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RUHS Chronic Pain Toolkit
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"NARCAN Saved My Life" story from Today Show
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New Resources for MAT in Primary Care
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Diversion to Services Leads to 58% Reduction in Arrests
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Legislation: Federal SUPPORT Act for Buprenorphine Prescribing
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Resource: Rural Coalition’s Video Guide to Engaging Pharmacists
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Resource: Guide for Tapering and Discontinuation of Opioids
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3 Things You Can Do
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IEOCC Upcoming Meetings and Workgroups
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Congratulations IEOCC for being awarded Public Health grant!
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The IEOCC is excited to announce that the coalition's recent grant application has been APPROVED!
The
California Department of Public Health (CDPH)
, Injury and Violence Prevention Branch (IVPB) - part of the State of California's Health and Human Services Agency - has approved the IEOCC to receive $85,000 per year for three years as part of the California Opioid Safety Coalitions Overdose Data to Action Initiative.
CDPH expects to award between $500,000 and $1.5 million annually with awards being presented to 30 coalitions throughout the state through August 31, 2022.
The grant will allow our coalition to move forward in addressing the opioid crisis while providing leadership to treatment providers and patients in the areas of harm reduction, Narcan distribution, prescription guidelines, community outreach and MAT clinic coordination, among others.
Thank you to
California University of Science and Medicine
("Cal-Med") for serving as the fiscal sponsor in applying for this much needed funding. We are excited to get started with this vital work to improve the lives of our area residents.
Congratulations IEOCC!
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Inland Empire’s MAT Hub Update: Interview with Kathy Hitchens
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Read the full article
here.
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RUHS Chronic Pain Toolkit
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The Riverside University Health System has implemented its electronic
Chronic Pain Toolkit
countywide, to decrease the risk of opioid addiction among chronic pain patients. The toolkit supports the new California requirement for prescribers to consult the CURES database before prescribing opioids and, as one physician leader put it, “puts us ahead of the game.”
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"NARCAN Saved My Life" story from the
Today Show
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Erika Hurt became the face of drug addiction in 2016, when a police officer released a photo of her overdosing in an Indiana parking lot with her son in the backseat. In the photo, which was meant to raise awareness about the opioid epidemic, an unconscious Hurt sat slumped behind the wheel, while her infant son, Parker, cried in the backseat. Hurt was revived by
Narcan
.
In an interview with
Today Parents
,
Hurt talks about her three years of sobriety and how she rebuilt her relationship with her young son. Prepare to be inspired.
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New Resources for MAT in Primary Care
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Diversion to Services Leads to 58% Reduction in Arrests
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Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD)
is community-based diversion for low-level law violations that flow from addiction and mental illness. LEAD allows police officers to refer individuals to community-based behavioral health services instead of prosecuting them. The program has grown into a national movement active in several California counties, including
Contra Costa
and
San Joaquin. LEAD participants were 58% less likely to be arrested after enrollment in the LEAD program in Seattle, compared to those who went through criminal justice processing.
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Legislation Reminder: Federal SUPPORT Act for Buprenorphine Prescribing
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Last year, the Substance Use Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities (
SUPPORT
) Act was passed to address the opioid epidemic. One result of the act: clinical nurse specialists, nurse anesthetists and nurse midwives can now apply for a waiver to prescribe buprenorphine.
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Resource: Rural Coalition’s Video Guide to Engaging Pharmacists
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The
Northern Sierra Opioid Safety Coalition
’s video demonstrates how their coalition has engaged pharmacists in their rural counties to reduce opioid misuse and increase naloxone access. Highlights within the video: safe prescribing methods for pharmacists (2:22), pharmacist counseling a patient about opioid risks (3:43), naloxone dispensing laws (5:41), and pharmacist counseling a patient’s spouse about using naloxone (7:03). Find the video on IEOCC’s
Clinician and Prescriber Resource Page
.
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Resource: Guide for Tapering and Discontinuation of Opioids
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On October 10,
the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
published a new guide for clinicians on the appropriate dosage reduction or discontinuation of long-term opioid analgesics. The guide requires clinicians to review the risks and benefits of the current therapy with their patient, advocating shared decision making and tailored care.
Link to the tapering guide from the IEOCC’s
Clinician and Prescriber Resource Page
.
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Forward this newsletter to colleagues, mentioning one or more articles relevant to their work on population health, safety and opioids.
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Direct people to relevant resources on the IEOCC website, to find treatment, reduce stigma, and provide better care to combat the negative effects of opioids in your community.
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Identify an audience for a presentation on an opioid-related topic, and find an expert presenter through IEOCC’s Education and Engagement Workgroup.
Email Kelli Smith,
smith-k4@iehp.org.
Email Joshua Crouch,
crouch-J@iehp.org
, to learn more.
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Steering Committee Meeting - Friday, November 8, 1-2pm
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Quarterly Meeting, with a focus on coalition strategy – Tuesday, December 10, 2-4pm
Email Joshua Crouch,
crouch-J@iehp.org
,
t
o find out more about our quarterly meeting.
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IEOCC Workgroups: Join one to collaborate on specific goals to end the crisis - Action-takers wanted, to help execute our established strategies
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Access to Treatment • Education & Engagement
Safe Prescribing • Prevention & Public Agencies
Email Joshua Crouch,
crouch-J@iehp.org,
to learn more.
Learn more about the IEOCC and its mission and vision
on our
NEW
website
.
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Vision:
To reduce opioid use and opioid related deaths in the Inland Empire.
Mission:
The Inland Empire Opioid Crisis Coalition (IEOCC) creates effective community collaborations between member organizations and individuals who need help with pain management and addictive disorders. The coalition employs the values and techniques of harm reduction and integrated care.
IEOCC will ensure the following changes occur in their communities:
- Education and engagement with service providers and community members.
- Safer prescribing practices for opioid medications.
- Increased use of medication-assisted addiction treatment (MAT), as part of a comprehensive system of integrated behavioral health care.
- Increased availability and use of the overdose reversal drug Naloxone.
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Thank you for your support in working together to improve the quality of life in the Inland Empire!
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