This project aims to (1) expand and improve community access to treatment services for Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) and Methamphetamine (MAP) use, (2) decrease opioid overdoses in the community through comprehensive evidence-based harm reduction strategies and (3) decrease MAP use in the population served by implementing evidence based interventions.
Imperial Beach Community Clinic (IBCC) is a fully integrated federally qualified health center that provides behavioral, dental, and primary care services to low income and uninsured residents of Southwest San Diego County. Its geographic service area falls within the County’s South Region, which is bordered by Mexico to the south, the Pacific Ocean to the west, the Otay Mountains to the east, and the city of San Diego to the north. IBCC’s Behavioral Health Department, the direct service provider for this project, provides substance use disorder (SUD), medication assisted treatment (MAT), and comprehensive counseling and psychiatric services. Sustained in-service training has ensured participation and credentialing of primary care providers and increased capacity in the use of MAT for SUDs among providers throughout the clinic system. A strong team of care managers ensures that care is coordinated and timely.
IBCC’s overall patient population is comprised primarily of low-income and uninsured Latinx residents of southwest San Diego County. The population of focus for this program are those individuals in Southwest San Diego County struggling with any combination of opioid use disorder (OUD), methamphetamine (MAP) use, and Any Mental Illness (AMI). Overlap among these conditions is prevalent among individuals in our community and patients diagnosed with one or more have complex needs requiring a whole-person approach to healthcare. This includes the identification and amelioration of underlying determinants of health that pose a barrier to good patient outcomes.