Expanding OUD Treatment in Philadelphia: In 2019, the state of Pennsylvania (PA) had the 3rd highest drug overdose death rate in the country. In Philadelphia, the opioid epidemic has worsened amid COVID-19. Despite significant efforts to identify and engage individuals with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD), there were 1.150 overdose deaths, many in non-public places, with increases predicted during the pandemic. Drexel University (DU), a large community focused university providing healthcare services and healthcare education to high-risk populations, will expand our OUD prevention, identification and engagement into integrated treatment services including MAT for 470 newly identified individuals over five years. Our primary goal is to reduce OUD by providing enhanced and innovative treatment engagement and sustained recovery with a family centered focus.
DU, with 1060 medical students, 24,205 undergraduate and graduate students including public health and nursing students, a strong family therapy program and over 520 clinical faculty, proposes to expand our Urban Center of Excellence in OUD healthcare to: 1) Expand engagement in MAT addiction treatment services and treatment for co-occurring psychiatric disorders from HIV clinics, obstetrical services, primary and pediatric care practices, and inpatient hospitals, for citizens returning from incarceration and inpatient OUD treatment, in free clinics and shelters serving the homeless and for individuals in emergency departments; 2) Expand assessment and engagement for mothers who deliver substance exposed infants in collaboration with the Philadelphia Dept. of Human Services (DHS); 3)Address the intergeneration nature of SUD/OUDs by creating expertise at St Christopher's Hospital for Children's (SCHC) clinical practices to identify/engage children, teens and families at risk for OUD for prevention, Narcan training and treatment services; 4) Expand screening of DU students at risk for OUD via Student Health Services; 5) Expand our cohort of trained peer specialist to identify and engage at risk individuals in recovery across the city; and 6) Expand educational programs to all DU healthcare providers, trainees and affiliates in safe prescribing, assessment of at-risk individuals, Narcan training, initiation of MAT and referral for addiction treatment to increase the OUD healthcare workforce.
DU will expand its existing programs. 1) the Caring Together Program (CTP) provides addiction/MAT and psychiatric treatment for women including those pregnant/parenting women and reentering the community. DHS has designated CTP as a primary site to evaluate/treat cases of peri-natal substance exposure; 2) SCHC provides primary and tertiary cares for over 20,000 patients in high risk areas; 3) Partnership Practice for 1,600 HIV+ individuals; 4) Family Medicine/Student Health Services; 5) Merakey, which provides MAT/Addiction services across the city, and: 6) Office of Medical Education and Behavioral Health Education, schools of Nursing and Health Professions and Public Health. Quantitative and qualitative data will be collected during intake, at 6 months post-intake and at discharge to evaluate attainment of the project goals
