West Branch Drug & Alcohol Abuse Commission Inc

THE COMMISSION PLANS, DEVELOPS, AND ADMINISTERS LOCAL SUBSTANCE ABUSE PROGRAMS.

STATE OPIOID RESPONSE (SOR) FUNDS WERE UTILIZED TO PROVIDE HOUSING FOR INDIVIDUALS IN NEED OF A STABLE PLACE FROM WHICH TO RECOVER. THERE WERE 200 APPLICANTS WHO BENEFITED, ALONG WITH THEIR FAMILIES, AT A TOTAL COST OF $361,852. A PART-TIME CASE MANAGER WAS ADDED TO THE STAFF AND IS FOCUSED LARGELY ON PROVIDING COMMUNITY-BASED SUPPORT TO THE RECIPIENTS OF THESE FUNDS.THE COMMISSION WAS AWARDED COVID SUPPLEMENTAL STATE OPIOID RESPONSE AND BLOCK GRANT FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $259,434 IN SUPPORT OF PREVENTION, CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES, AND RECOVERY SUPPORT. THESE FUNDS WERE USED TO SUSTAIN POSITIONS PROVIDED BY EXPANSION DOLLARS. CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O.THEY ALLOWED STAFF TO FOLLOW CLIENT PROGRESS MORE CLOSELY AND OFFER ADDITIONAL SUPPORT DURING INPATIENT TREATMENT STAYS. IT ALSO HELPED SUPPORT THE HIRE OF THE AFOREMENTIONED AND SEASONED PROFESSIONAL TO WORK PART-TIME SPECIFICALLY IN SERVICE TO COMMUNITY-BASED CASE MANAGEMENT FOR RECIPIENTS OF HOUSING ASSISTANCE FUNDS. ADMISSIONS TO LEVEL 4 FACILITIES, OFFERING CARE FOR MEDICALLY COMPLEX CASES, IMPROVED SIGNIFICANTLY WITH STAFF DILIGENCE AS WELL. WHILE THERE WAS NOT A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN INCIDENCES OF OVERDOSE DEATHS FROM 2021 TO 2022 IN LYCOMING OR CLINTON COUNTIES, THE NUMBERS HELD RELATIVELY STABLE WHICH STILL INDICATES THAT THE REDUCTION IN THE YEAR PRIOR YEAR WAS NOT SIMPLY CIRCUMSTANTIAL. CRS STAFF ARE ON-CALL 24/7/365 TO PRESENT AT THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT OR VIA TELEHEALTH TO MEET WITH OVERDOSE SURVIVORS OR ANYONE AFFECTED BY SUBSTANCE USE TO ENGAGE AND TO FACILITATE AGREED UPON SERVICES. SUCH SERVICES INCLUDE INPATIENT TREATMENT VIA A CASE MANAGER, OUTPATIENT SERVICES, MEDICATION ASSISTED TREATMENT AND/OR CRS FOLLOW-UP SERVICES. THE SERVICE IS PROVIDED BY STAFF WITH HOSPITALS, A LOCAL EMS PROVIDER, AND A LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENT. THE COMMISSION ALSO DISSEMINATED 238 NALOXONE KITS VIA DISTRIBUTION EVENTS IN THE LYCOMING AND CLINTON COUNTY COMMUNITIES AND AN ADDITIONAL 237 KITS AS THE CENTRAL COORDINATING ENTITY (CCE) FOR CLINTON COUNTY. DIVERSITY TRAINING HAS BEEN INCREASINGLY ENCOURAGED AMONG STAFF. TWO MEMBERS OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM BEGAN PARTICIPATING IN A YEAR-LONG EQUITY ACADEMY WITH OTHER LOCAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS. THE 2022 JANUARY TO DECEMBER ACADEMY PROVIDED EDUCATION ON LEADERSHIP AND COMMUNICATION STYLES TOWARD DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION WHILE ALSO FOSTERING PARTNERSHIPS TOWARD MAKING A COMMUNITY-WIDE DIFFERENCE.THE FAMILY ELEMENT HAS CONTINUED TO RECEIVE GROWING ATTENTION. BALM, OR BE A LOVING MIRROR, WAS AGAIN PROVIDED TO LOVED ONES OF INDIVIDUALS SUFFERING WITH A SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER. ANOTHER CERTIFIED RECOVERY SPECIALIST ON STAFF WAS DUALLY CERTIFIED AS A CERTIFIED FAMILY RECOVERY SPECIALIST, MAKING HER THE SECOND TO DO SO. PROVIDERS WERE ENCOURAGED TO UTILIZE COMMUNITY REINFORCEMENT AND FAMILY TRAINING (CRAFT), AND CASE MANAGEMENT AND CRS STAFF WERE PROVIDED TRAINING REGARDING THE IMPORTANCE OF ENGAGING FAMILIES IN RECOVERY AND THE BALM. THE 6TH ANNUAL WALK/RUN OCCASIONS OF BOTH RUNNING OVER ADDICTION IN LYCOMING COUNTY AND RALLY FOR RECOVERY IN CLINTON COUNTY WERE HELD AFTER A YEAR OF MODIFICATION OR SABBATICAL DUE TO THE COVID PANDEMIC. EACH OF THE AWARENESS EVENTS WAS VERY WELL ATTENDED. ALSO NOW CONTRIBUTING TO COMMUNITY AWARENESS IS THE INCLUSION OF ARTICLES SPECIFIC TO SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS, RECOVERY SUPPORTS, AND SERVICES IN THE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER FOR THE LOCAL CHAPTER OF THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE ON MENTAL ILLNESS (NAMI).THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR PARTICIPATED IN AN ASAM PILOT WORKGROUP WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF DRUG & ALCOHOL PROGRAMS, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH MANAGED CARE ORGANIZATIONS, AND SCAS. THE PURPOSE WAS TO PREPARE AND VET THE NEW TOOL AND PROCESS FOR REVIEWING PROVIDER COMPLIANCE WITH REQUIRED ELEMENTS IN TRANSITION TO FOLLOWING TENETS OF THE TREATMENT MODEL ESTABLISHED BY THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF ADDICTION MEDICINE.THE COMMISSION ALSO CREATED A MORE TRAUMA-INFORMED ENVIRONMENT FOR THOSE SEEKING CARE BY PAINTING THE WALLS, SIMPLIFYING THE SPACE, MINIMIZING STIMULI, AND INCORPORATING MORE CALMING ELEMENTS.

FOR THE YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2022, THE CASE MANAGEMENT UNIT SERVED OVER 2,000 INDIVIDUALS, MAKING REFERRALS AND PROVIDING CASE MANAGEMENT AND RECOVERY SUPPORT SERVICES, AS INDICATED, TO APPROPRIATE LEVELS OF CARE AT ANY ONE OF 59 CONTRACTED PROVIDERS. A TOTAL OF 428 WARM HANDOFF ENCOUNTERS WERE PROVIDED BY CERTIFIED RECOVERY SPECIALIST STAFF AS WELL. THERE WERE 28,799 RESIDENTS SERVED THROUGH THE COMMISSION'S PREVENTION EFFORTS.

PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION PROGRAM FUNDS ARE UTILIZED TO PROVIDE COORDINATION FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH TENDENCIES TOWARD SUBSTANCE USE. FOR THE YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2022, 28,799 INDIVIDUALS RECEIVED PREVENTION SERVICES, AN INCREASE OF 75% MORE THAN IN THE YEAR PRIOR. STUDENTS IN 90 CLASSROOMS RECEIVED THE EVIDENCE BASED "TOO GOOD FOR DRUGS" CURRICULUM, THIRTY-TWO MORE CLASSROOMS THAN IN 2021. OTHER SERVICES INCLUDE THE STUDENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, DUI EDUCATIONAL CLASSES, PARENTING PROGRAMS, STICKER SHOCK, PRESENTATIONS, ATOD INFORMATION DISSEMINATION, POSITIVE ACTION CLASSES, ALTERNATIVE ACTIVITIES, GRASP SUPPORT GROUP, AND COMMUNITY COALITION SUPPORT. CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O.TWO FAMILIES BECAME THE FIRST AND SECOND TO ENGAGE LONG-TERM IN ARISE CONTINUING CARE & INTERVENTION SERVICES WITH OUR ARISE CERTIFIED STAFF MEMBER. BOTH RESULTED IN ADMISSION TO INPATIENT CARE AS WELL AS AFTERCARE. EQUALLY IMPORTANT WAS THE INDIVIDUAL AND FAMILY PARTICIPATION IN CONTINUING CARE TO LEARN FAMILY DYNAMICS THAT COULD BETTER CONTRIBUTE TO BOTH THE INDIVIDUAL'S RECOVERY AND THE HEALTH OF THE FAMILY, PRESENT AND FUTURE.

STATE ACT 152 FUNDS PROVIDE NON-HOSPITAL RESIDENTIAL DETOXIFICATION, REHABILITATION, AND HALFWAY HOUSE SERVICES TO MEDICAL ASSISTANCE RECIPIENTS WITH SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS.DUI REVENUE FUNDS IN LYCOMING AND CLINTON COUNTIES ARE USED FOR TREATMENT AND OTHER ITEMS RELATED TO RESPECTIVE COUNTY RESIDENTS. SCA FUNDS ARE USED TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT PROGRAMS FOR INTERVENTION, PREVENTION, AND TREATMENT FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER ISSUES AND/OR FOR "AT-RISK" POPULATIONS.