Project RESTORE (Respect, Empowerment, and Support through Treatment, Outreach & Recovery) - Duffy Health Center, a federally qualified health center since 2002 and HRSA 330(h) Health Care for the Homeless grantee serving Barnstable County, MA, will expand and strengthen engagement, treatment, and recovery support services for persons with opioid use disorder who are at risk of, or experiencing, homelessness. Project RESTORE will add additional treatment options onsite, intensify peer recovery supports, and facilitate and streamline access to care.
The purpose of Project RESTORE (Respect, Empowerment, and Support through Treatment, Outreach & Recovery) is to enhance access to medication-assisted treatment (MAT) services for persons with an opioid use disorder (OUD). Project RESTORE will expand upon its current MAT program (which includes SAMHSA’s required activities) by reducing barriers to care, streamlining processes and expanding peer recovery supports for MAT services. The RESTORE team will employ a harm reduction approach, increase initial peer contact during the period of greatest vulnerability for persons engaging in treatment, and provide OUD treatment options for the target population. By reducing structural barriers that hinder access to services, and by strengthening client engagement and trusting relationships with peer support and case management services, we aim to both increase enrollment into the MAT program and to retain patients in treatment through the six month mark and beyond.
Research has shown that patients who remain on medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) for a longer time tend to have better outcomes, including better social functioning, and reduced risk of relapse, overdose and death; criminal activity and inpatient utilization. Retaining patients in treatment is a challenge, especially for persons with OUD who are homeless or unstably housed.
Duffy will utilize evidence based practices to engage and retain patients with OUD. Strategies and interventions will include two Recovery Support Navigators (RSN) as part of the integrated MAT care team; they will be instrumental both in the engagement and the retention of project enrollees. Each enrollee will be matched with an RSN who will nurture an ongoing supportive relationship across the primary care and MAT service experience. A MAT Case Manager will facilitate timely access to enrollment as a Duffy patient as well as assisting with insurance enrollment, transportation, and other basic needs. Telehealth encounters will be a vehicle to help reach, engage, and retain clients in treatment. Additional treatment options for MOUD patients will be implemented including the extended release form of buprenorphine as well as opening an onsite dispensary for daily dispensing of buprenorphine. Duffy’s integrated services are also available: primary care, mental health, psychiatric services, case management and spiritual care.
With SAMHSA support we anticipate providing MAT services for 545 persons with OUD over the course of the five year project period. Expected outcomes for this program are: 1) an increase in the number of individuals with OUD receiving MAT and 2) a decrease in illicit opioid drug use and prescription opioid misuse at six-month follow-up.
