The Bureau of Justice Assistance leadership, in collaboration with the Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Program team, invites the public to this no-cost webinar on January 24, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. ET.
To address the national opioid crisis, communities across the country are using medication-assisted treatment (MAT), a practice which pairs Food and Drug Administration-approved medications with non-drug therapies such as counseling or cognitive behavioral therapy. Employing a “whole patient” approach, MAT is an effective and nationally recognized intervention to treat opioid abuse. Research has shown that MAT significantly increases patients’ adherence to treatment, reduces illicit opioid use compared with non-drug approaches, and is more effective than either behavioral intervention or medication alone.
Unfortunately, impediments (including availability and geography) can keep individuals who may benefit from MAT from accessing treatment. One way to combat these impediments is to create mobile MAT units.
To explore this innovative solution, presenters will address topics including:
- How is mobile MAT different than a brick-and-mortar treatment facility?
- What services does mobile MAT provide?
- Who can receive services, and how are those people identified?
- How is patient confidentiality protected?
- How does mobile MAT fill gaps in treatment needs?
- What obstacles were encountered in implementing the model?
- What geographic area does mobile MAT cover?
Presenters:
- Tylica S. Pope, Director of Critical Time Intervention Program, Medicaid Redesign Team, Permanent Housing and Recovery Connections Opioid Mobile Substance Use Disorder Team at BestSelf Behavioral Health; and
- Kelly D. Whitman, LCSW, Vice President of Services at BestSelf Behavioral Health.