CIDA (Center for Innovation and Discovery in Addictions) Mississippi Horizons Project - The central aim of the CIDA Mississippi Horizon's project is, on a statewide basis, to leverage UMMC's existing mental health and technology clinical expertise and resources to efficiently fill gaps in access to care, access to treatment, and availability of evidence based treatment.
UMMC, specifically the Center for Innovation and Discovery in Addictions (CIDA) and the Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, seeks to fill care gaps by providing evaluation and linkage to services in real time, with a focus on increasing and improving access for patients in rural areas. Specifically, we will:
1. Offer 7 day/week 7pm to 7am availability via our existing telehealth infrastructure of both a licensed mental health provide possessing competence in substance use disorders and a licensed Peer Support Specialist. Evening availability of services will complement Tele-Behavioral Health consultation provided during limited daytime hours. This capability would reduce unnecessary transfers, ensure patients receive appropriate treatment and reduce the overall cost of care for these patient populations.
2. For those with Opioid Use Disorder, we will provide immediate and seamless linkage to UMMC's well-established TeleMat program, and for those with ongoing mental health and/or substance abuse needs, linkage to community resources.
3. Standing up a web based statewide portal providing access to accurate, real time information on availability of substance use treatment slots. This portal will provide timely and efficient access to information essential for referral and application for treatment. Similar functionality has been implemented in Kentucky, Delaware, Alaska, New Mexico, and several other states.
4. Through CIDA's Academy of Addiction Training, we will provide regular education and training to clinicians, medical providers, consumers and their families on topics key to improving access and treatment for those with mental health and substance abuse disorders.
In sum, utilizing existing telehealth infrastructure and empirically validated approaches to care, we will improve patient management and quality of care. Taken in its totality, this proposal will fill mental health and substance abuse access and treatment agaps across all of Mississippi's 82 counties.