Upcoming Webinar Date: Wednesday, September 23, 2020 Time: 01:00 - 02:00 PM EDT Duration: 1 Hour As communities worry about a second spike in COVID-19, many are overlooking the current spike in substance use disorder (SUD). Prolonged social isolation, heightened anxiety and depression, and a national rise in unemployment create a perfect storm for opioid and substance misuse. In fact, studies show that as unemployment increases by 1 percent, opioid-related ED visits and deaths increase by 7 and 3.6 percent, respectively. In addition, first responders nationwide are reporting up to a 300 percent increase in opioid overdoses since social distancing practices began. Join us as Deanna Parker, Assistant VP of Emergency Services at Hardin Memorial Hospital, and Deron Bibb, CFO at Stepworks Recovery Center, share strategies for getting ahead of the epidemic through proactive collaboration and improved follow-up. They have pioneered a number of efforts in the world of SUD care—including ED bridge programs, maternal health and neo-natal abstinence syndrome care, and more—to help curb traditionally high opioid and SUD rates in Kentucky and greater Appalachia. Learning Objectives: Understand the impact of COVID-19 on rising cases of substance use disorder and the care and cost benefits of successfully addressing it Learn strategies for identifying patients with SUD and collaborating care with MAT facilities Prepare hospitals, MAT and behavioral health clinics, and communities for the increase in patients with SUD—without overly taxing resources needed for addressing COVID-19 |