Premier Health Receives Nearly $2 Million Grant to Fight Substance Abuse
Support Will Expand Emergency Department Programming
DAYTON, Ohio (June 24, 2021) – Premier Health, in partnership with ProMedica, has received a nearly $2 million grant from the Ohio Department of Health to treat emergency department patients struggling with substance abuse and connect them with the help they need.
This funding, part of the Comprehensive Care for Substance Use in Ohio Emergency Departments (CCOED) program, will enhance and expand the extensive work currently being done at Miami Valley Hospital, Miami Valley Hospital North, Atrium Medical Center, as well as three ProMedica sites.
“Premier Health emergency departments are in a position to be an access point for those individuals struggling with addiction, both in obvious and not-so-obvious cases,” said Candy Skidmore, vice-president of emergency and trauma services for Premier Health. “The CCOED program will allows us to develop effective screening tools to assist with identifying more individuals who may greatly benefit from supportive services in the community, and then strengthen pathways to connect the two.”
CCOED has three overarching goals:
- Identify patients with opioid use disorder (OUD) by implementing a screening process in EDs;
- Manage OUD by implementing evidence-based practices in emergency medicine;
- Transition patients to long-term care and supportive services using innovative processes that improve pathways to treatment. These goals will be met through comprehensive activities structured around screening, medication-assisted treatment (MAT), naloxone distribution, linkages to care and a real-time treatment finder.
Emergency departments serve a wide variety of patients, including those who are experiencing health disparities and health inequities, as well as those who are uninsured and/or without access to primary care. The CCOED program will help emergency departments’ efforts to identify anyone who may need to be connected to substance abuse services.
Premier Health will continue to strengthen its collaboration with local organizations, such as Samaritan Behavioral Health for diagnosing abuse and crisis response and OneFifteen for both inpatient and outpatient treatment options.
Contact Us
Discover more about Premier Health and join us in building healthier communities in Southwest Ohio. Learn more about working at Premier Health, becoming a volunteer, and making a gift to support our mission.