Addiction Medicine Fellowship - 301 Brundage Lane, Bakersfield, CA, 93304 Matthew Beare, MD 661-635-3050 Matthew.Beare@clinicasierravista.org www.clinicasierravista.org Grant Funds Requested: $3,078,081 Clinica Sierra Vista (CSV) proposes the Addiction Medicine Fellowship Program to address the critical shortage of addiction medicine specialists in Kern County, a region heavily impacted by substance use disorders (SUDs) and limited access to specialized treatment services. Kern County has higher-than-average rates of opioid use, overdose deaths, and co-occurring mental health disorders, with underserved and rural communities experiencing the greatest barriers to care. The need for trained addiction medicine specialists is urgent, as many residents lack access to evidence-based treatment, including medication-assisted treatment (MAT) and integrated primary health care services. This program will train a total of 14 addiction medicine fellows over five years, equipping them with the skills to provide comprehensive, patient-centered SUD treatment in medically underserved areas. Fellows will complete rotations in CSV’s outpatient clinics, rural health centers, and its Street Medicine Program, which serves unhoused individuals through partnerships with homeless shelters and community-based organizations (CBOs). In addition, the program will enhance workforce capacity by incorporating addiction medicine training into the Family Medicine Residency Program, ensuring that at least 50 family medicine residents gain hands-on experience treating SUDs. Key components of the fellowship include interprofessional team training, collaboration with medical-legal partnerships (MLPs), and stigma-reduction initiatives through CME-accredited town halls. The program will also emphasize addressing social determinants of health (SDoH) to improve long-term recovery outcomes. CSV will implement a robust performance evaluation framework, tracking program impact through fellow retention, workforce placement, patient treatment outcomes, and reductions in stigma toward addiction care. Through this initiative, CSV aims to expand the addiction medicine workforce, improve access to high-quality SUD treatment, and strengthen integrated care models in Kern County’s most vulnerable communities. This project aligns with HRSA’s goal of increasing addiction medicine subspecialists in medically underserved areas, ultimately improving health outcomes for populations disproportionately affected by substance use and behavioral health disparities.
