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- If you are having a medical emergency, call 9-1-1
- If you need crisis assistance call 410-531-6677 or 2-1-1
- Call us at 410-313-6202 to discuss Behavioral Health resources and referrals.
According to the American Society of Addiction Medicine, addiction is a primary, chronic disease that, without treatment or engagement in recovery activities, is progressive and can result in disability or death. If you believe your patient may have a substance use disorder, it is important that the patient is assessed for the severity and specificity of the disorder and, if necessary, referred to the appropriate type of behavioral health provider.
Below are steps you can take to assist your patients on their path to recovery, including Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT):
- Screening – Use standardized screening tools to identify patients engaging in risky substance use.
- Brief Intervention – Engage your patient in a short conversation to increase insight and awareness about their substance use and motivation for behavioral change.
- Referrals to Treatment – There are resources available to assist you with linking your patients to specialty behavioral healthcare. When contacting Jurisdictional Coordinators or certified service providers, you may want to inquire about a full assessment for your patient to ensure they are placed in the appropriate level and type of care. See links following SBIRT information for how to access these providers.
For more information on the Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment program click here.
If you are a Medicaid provider, check out the Maryland Medicaid Opioid Drug Utilization Review Workgroup, which includes information and resources on how to reduce opioid misuse, dependence, overdose, and death.
The Prescription Drug Monitoring Program has been established by the Maryland Department of Health, Behavioral Health Administration to support healthcare providers and their patients in the safe and effective use of prescription drugs. The PDMP collects and securely stores information on drugs that contain controlled substances and are dispensed to patients in Maryland. Drug dispensers, including pharmacies and healthcare practitioners, electronically report the information that is stored in the PDMP database.
Mandatory use of the PDMP system begins July 1, 2018 and is key to addressing the opioid epidemic in Howard County and across Maryland. If you haven’t already, register by visiting https://crisphealth.force.com/crisp2_login. Call 877-952-7477 or visit the Maryland PDMP website for more information.
Medication-assisted treatment, including opioid treatment programs (OTPs), combines behavioral therapy and medications to treat substance use disorders.
There are three medications approved to treat opioid addiction:
• Methadone
• Naltrexone
• Buprenorphine
SAMHSA provides certification and oversight of OTPs and accrediting bodies. To complete training, learn more about the legislation, regulations and guidelines for OTP certification or for more information about medication and counseling treatment click here.
Improving the way opioids are prescribed through clinical practice guidelines can ensure patients have access to safer, more effective chronic pain treatment while reducing the number of people who misuse, abuse, or overdose from these drugs.
CDC developed and published the CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain to provide recommendations for the prescribing of opioid pain medication for patients 18 and older in primary care settings. Recommendations focus on the use of opioids in treating chronic pain (pain lasting longer than 3 months or past the time of normal tissue healing) outside of active cancer treatment, palliative care, and end-of-life care.
FAQs about the Guideline
The SAMHSA Opioid Overdose Prevention Toolkit equips health care providers, communities, and local governments with material to develop practices and policies to help prevent opioid-related overdoses and deaths. It addresses issues for health care providers, first responders, treatment providers, and those recovering from opioid overdose.
CDC Interactive Training Series - This interactive, web-based training features self-paced learning, case-based content, knowledge checks, and integrated resources to help healthcare providers gain a deeper understanding of the Guideline. Find tips on implementing the Guideline into primary care practice and overcoming challenges.
CDC Webinar Series - Learn about applying the CDC Guideline in a primary care practice setting from CDC and University of Washington experts. Watch archived webinars which include slides, real case examples, and question-and-answer sessions.
SAMHSA Opioid Prescribing Courses - Find SAMHSA-supported continuing medical education courses on prescribing opioids for chronic pain.
To read or download the pdf document click here.
The ASAM National Practice Guideline for the Use of Medications in the Treatment of Addiction Involving Opioid Use