New options available for Opioid Addiction

Posted

Clarendon Behavioral Health Services (CBHS) has teamed up with OVP Health in order to provide medication-assisted treatment to those struggling with opioid addiction. They now have a mobile treatment vehicle that travels from county to county to provide medical services for opioid addictions, as well as other medical situations that need to be treated. The list of scheduled stops on the vehicle's route includes a stop at CBHS in Manning on Thursdays of each week.

Ohio Valley Physicians (OVP) is a West Virginia based company that was initially formed to provide emergency department staffing for various health organizations. Over the past two decades, they have evolved into a multi-faceted family/physician owned company called OVP Health. In addition to providing high quality emergency and hospitalist services to hospitals, OVP Health assists communities with primary care services and oversees a highly effective and accredited medication-assisted treatment and counseling program for people suffering from opioid addiction.

Last August, CBHS and Doctor Eddie Meyers from Colonial Family Practice in Sumter started seeing clients for medication assistance treatments. They treated 25 to 30 people from August to June. The arrival of the mobile van in Manning was July 12. A nurse practitioner and a nursing assistant on the van provide the services for those seeking help, from initial assessment, which includes blood work, physical assessment and evaluation, then finally to treatment options, which are based on each individual's circumstances and needs. The mission was to provide opioid treatment in areas that did not have any type of assistance program in place.

Ann Kirven, Chief Executive Officer of CBHS, said that the mobile van will be available for the sixth time this week on Thursday. Patients are scheduled through her office and are taken outside to the van at the time of their appointment to be treated by the medical staff. They are first taken to a screening area to be interviewed, and for basic treatments such as vital signs, height and weight. The staff then give a thorough examination of what the client is experiencing or suffering from. After all necessary steps are taken, the nurse practitioner will provide a treatment plan and explain it so that the client can understand what he or she can expect to take place.

The nurse practitioner can also write prescriptions to clients for other illnesses that are not drug related,” said Kirven. “If someone comes in and is sick with the flu, for example, they will receive treatment and medication the same as if they were at any other health clinic. It costs $15 for these types of services.

Some people that are being treated for drug addiction will experience depression during their “coming off of drugs” period. Those types of medications needed can also be provided with a prescription to combat the symptoms of depression.

Kirven also said that there is a grant for $97,000 to be used to expand medication assistance treatment to other facilities, such as HopeHealth. Also provided through a grant will be $10,000 that is earmarked to provide clients with assistance in the event that they are unable to acquire transportation to and from the treatment appointments.

If you are uninsured and meet the financial qualifications to receive assistance, your care and medication will be at no cost to you,” said Kirven. “All current CBHS clients are eligible to take advantage of OVP Health's mobile unit. Please call us for an appointment at (803) 435-2121."

#CLARENDONPROUD