Improving access for patients and families affected by substance-use disorders

Story written by: Aaron Hunt

Editor’s note: Hunt, an associate professor, directs the Master of Public Health program within the Department of Allied and Population Health, arriving at SDSU in September 2019.

START-SD (Stigma, Treatment, Avoidance, and Recovery in Time in South Dakota) is three-year, $1 million federally funded project with a goal of reducing mortality associated with opioid-use disorder among adults aged 25-54 in in Brookings, Codington and Hughes counties.

The project started in September 2020 and is an example of faculty collaboration across the university. Program director Aaron Hunt and co-director Erin Miller are from the Department of Allied and Population Health, co-investigator Jennifer Ball is from the Department of Pharmacy Practice, and co-investigator Mary Emery is from the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences’ School of Psychology, Sociology and Rural Studies.

In addition, the SDSU team collaborates with many professionals and organizations in target rural South Dakota communities from multiple disciplines.

In South Dakota, about 30 people die per year from opioid overdoses. Unfortunately, this number has been increasing and to successfully support patients in treatment and recovery, patients need access to services.

SDSU coordinates a consortium that consists of key members in all sectors of treatment and recovery services. It has hired a care coordinator to help coordinate the referral process, connect with key stakeholders in the community, and help patients with the needed support services.

The SDSU team has received patient reports of difficulty obtaining Naloxone from pharmacies. This medication is utilized to prevent patient death in a respiratory emergency caused by opioids and is able to be dispensed to individuals, family members and friends without an individual prescription. The SDSU team is working on additional educational material for pharmacies.

During the next few months, the team will be conducting interviews and focus groups in select communities to identify specific stigmas. The information will be used to develop a targeted marketing campaign aimed at reducing stigma, which may mean more people will be willing to seek treatment.

Also, START-SD has partnered with South Dakota clinics to provide mentoring and education to health care teams addressing stigma and sharing best practices. Options for education and experience include a one-day boot camp training for providers and staff, on-site mentoring opportunities and virtual meetings to discuss challenges.

The grant also supports expanded patient access to telehealth visits for medications for opioid use disorder and peer recovery services by covering cost of treatment for patients that cannot afford the services.

Prevention efforts are also important as we are addressing the substance use disorder epidemic. The SDSU team has facilitated Adverse Childhood Events trainings and is working to implement and support social-emotional learning programs starting this summer and fall.