Medication Assisted Treatment Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

W.Va. School Of Osteopathic Medicine Clinic Receives Funding

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services aims to improve health care in rural areas with the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program in Lewisburg, West Virginia by establishing new Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) access points.

A West Virginia clinic will receive $1 million in federal funding to support its medication-assisted treatment access program.

By awarding this funding to the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine’s Clinic, federal officials aim to reduce the prevalence of substance use disorder including opioid use disorder.

Vice President for Community Engagement and Development Drema Hill said the funds will assist in transportation barriers to their rural clinic.

“And you know, Greenbrier, by land area, is the second largest county in the state, so we have a lot of transportation issues,” Hill said. “So these dollars are dollars that will expand medication-assisted treatment programs into rural areas through the use of a mobile clinic.”

According to Hill, in Greenbrier County, the mortality rate for overdose is 49.2 percent per 100,000 people. The U.S. average is 28.7 percent per 100,000 people, while West Virginia’s state average is 75.9 percent per 100,000 people.

“We have currently close to 200 patients who receive medication-assisted treatment, and when you receive MAT, there’s a component of behavioral health,” Hill said. “So you have to be able to access counseling services as you’re going through the program.”

In separate releases, Sens. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., announced the funding.

“The addiction crisis continues to impact far too many through a multitude of factors,” Capito said. “As a result, our response must be direct and individualized based on the needs and challenges that specific communities face. I am glad to see HHS invest in this program that aims to help those struggling with substance abuse disorder through services available at our West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine. This funding will strengthen treatment available at WVSOM and help put West Virginians on a path to recovery and ultimately reach their full potential.”

Manchin agreed and said the funds will help improve the health and well-being of West Virginians across the state.

“The funding will strengthen statewide efforts to prevent, control and respond to infectious disease outbreaks, as well as expand access to substance use disorder treatment services through Marshall University and the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine in Lewisburg,” Manchin said. “As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I will continue advocating for resources to ensure every West Virginian has the quality, affordable health services they need.”

Appalachia Health News is a project of West Virginia Public Broadcasting with support from Charleston Area Medical Center and Marshall Health.

Winning the Fight Against Addiction in West Virginia

“Recovery is possible!” is a mantra in addiction treatment. Lois Vance says recovery is happening every day at Cabin Creek Health Systems, where she works.

This week, we’re talking about what actually works in fighting opioid addiction with Lois Vance, Medication Assisted Treatment Care Manager, Cabin Creek Health Systems.

Welcome to “The Front Porch,” where we tackle the tough issues facing Appalachia the same way you talk with your friends on the porch.

Hosts include WVPB Executive Director and recovering reporter Scott Finn and liberal columnist and avid goat herder Rick Wilson, who works for the American Friends Service Committee. Guest host this week is economist Jessi Troyan of the free-market Cardinal Institute.

An edited version of “The Front Porch” airs Fridays at 4:50 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s radio network, and the full version is available at wvpublic.org and as a podcast as well.

Share your opinions with us about these issues, and let us know what you’d like us to discuss in the future. Send a tweet to @radiofinn or @wvpublicnews, or e-mail Scott at sfinn @ wvpublic.org

The Front Porch is underwritten by the Pulitzer Prize-winning Charleston Gazette-Mail. Find the latest news, traffic and weather on its CGM App. Download it in your app store, and check out its website: http://www.wvgazettemail.com/

Research Finds Treatment for Opioid Abuse Needs to be Long-Term

New research out of Johns Hopkins University has found that more than forty percent of people receiving medication for opioid addiction were also given prescriptions for other opioid painkillers during the time of treatment.

The researchers looked at pharmacy claims for more than 38,000 new buprenorphine users who filled prescriptions between 2006 and 2013 in 11 states. Buprenorphine is a drug used to treat opioid addiction.

They found that 43 percent of patients who received buprenorphine filled an opioid prescription during treatment and 67 percent filled an opioid prescription during the year following buprenorphine treatment. Most patients continued to receive similar amounts of opioids before and after buprenorphine treatment.

They were not able to examine patients’ use of or access to illegal opioids like heroin.

The authors say the results are startling, but consistent with other research that shows many users returned abusing opioids after treatment. Medication-assisted treatment is quickly becoming one of the most popular ways to treat opioid addiction, but experts say treatment programs aren’t enough and that patients need stable, ongoing care indefinitely.

Appalachia Health News is a project of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, with support from the Benedum Foundation, Charleston Area Medical Center and WVU Medicine.