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Baltimore
Buprenorphine Initiative Releases Clinical
Guidelines
In March
2009, Baltimore Substance Abuse Systems, Inc., in collaboration with
the Baltimore City Health Department and Baltimore HealthCare
Access, Inc. released the Clinical Guidelines for Buprenorphine
Treatment of Opioid Dependence in the Baltimore Buprenorphine
Initiative. The guidelines were developed to support enhanced
standardization in the clinical services delivered by BBI
providers. With support from the partnering agencies and
participants in the Buprenorphine Roundtable, the guidelines
recommend a standard of care for participating
providers.
The guidelines provide detailed instructions
for counselors, administrative staff, case managers and treatment
physicians regarding buprenorphine treatment from intake and
assessment to continuing care. The basics of buprenorphine, the role
of counseling in buprenorphine maintenance treatment, and a
diversion prevention plan are among several sections that illustrate
best practices to treatment staff. Also included are several
forms that have been developed over the past three years that
include the Authorization for Release of Confidential Information, a
Treatment Contract, and a Transfer Summary form for continuing care
providers. The appendices also include the Clinical Opiate
Withdrawal Scale, the BSAS Mental Health Screening form, and
Urinalysis Policy and Procedures as put forth by the
BBI.
The two principal authors of the
guidelines, Marla Oros
 and
Dr.
Christopher Welsh, both consulting for
the BBI, are also conducting site visits to each of the 9
buprenorphine treatment programs participating in the BBI
.
During these visits, the guidelines will be thoroughly reviewed with
all treatment center staff to ensure that these best practices are
implemented throughout each site. The BBI team is very excited about
the implementation of this tool and know that it will greatly
enhance the Baltimore Buprenorphine
Initiative. |
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Baltimore
Buprenorphine Initiative Updates
In
March 2009, the BBI expanded in three ways to help patients access
buprenorphine treatment services more easily.
First,
services were expanded at three existing treatment providers,
including Total Health
Care, Partners in
Recovery, and Next
Passage. Each provider was able to
add 30 buprenorphine enhanced outpatients slots, and it is projected
that these slots will serve an additional 270 patientsper
year!
The BBI
also developed a low-threshold model of treatment at two provider
sites, names at Total Health Care's Primary Care Center at
Division
Street and at University of
Maryland's Alcohol and Drug Abuse Program
(ADAP). The BBI will fund these two
sites to provide buprenorphine medication management coupled with
case management services, meeting the need of those patients who
require more intensive case management services and/or a higher
level of individualized counseling than is currently provided at
existing BBI sites.
Finally,
the BBI is also working with Tuerk House
to offer buprenorphine treatment as a component of Tuerk House's
existing residential and halfway house programs. Patients will
be inducted and receive counseling services during their 28 day stay
at the intermediate care facility. After completion, patients
will transition to a halfway house where they will stay for an
additional six months while they continue to receive buprenorphine
treatment.
Transfer Disposition
Forms
In
December, the BBI implemented the use of Transfer Disposition
forms at each participating treatment site to ensure patients'
appropriate and timely transfer to continuing care providers.
Theforms, which include questions about recent urinalysis results,
level of care, frequency of take-home medications, and level of
attendance at counseling sessions, offer a snapshot of the patient
to the treatment team. The forms are completed for each
patient as he/she reaches 60, 90, and 120 days in treatment in order
to determine the patient's readiness to transfer and to start
a discussion between treatment program staff and Baltimore
HealthCare Access,
Inc. about the necessary next steps
to ensure a successful transfer to a continuing care
provider. Thus far, the results have been great!
Treatment sites are transferring more patients than in the past and
patients are able to transfer sooner than
before.
OMHCs
Recently,
the Buprenorphine Initiative Coordinators have actively recruited
mental health providers to accept BBI patients with
co-occurring disorders for continuing care. So far,
three mental health providers have joined the effort (See
highlighted Continuing Care site), and the BBI staff is working with
Baltimore Mental Health Systems to recruit new providers across the
city. Many of our patients suffer from co-occurring disorders
and need the option to continue their Suboxone maintenance
treatment with a doctor who has the ability to address their mental
health needs also. If you are interested in
participating and in accepting our patients, then please contact
Vanessa Kuhn at (410) 637-1900 ext 286. |
Harding
Consulting
(founded 2003) is a psychology consulting firm dedicated to helping
organizations and individuals achieve higher levels of happiness and
success. Harding Consulting applies industry-specific best
practices and evidence-based psychological research, to help
patients achieve and maintain happiness in their business,
organizational, and personal goals.
Through Harding
Consulting's Suboxone Success program™ (Mental Health and Wellness
Division), patients seeking to successfully break their heroin
addiction receive services that are comprehensive, competent, and
compassionate. Harding Consulting combines weekly psychotherapy
(individual and/or group) with medication management to provide
patients with the expertise and consistent support needed to
reach their "staying clean" goals.
The Director, Reneé
B. Harding, Psy.D., M.B.A., specifically chose
Suboxone/Buprenorphine as the program's medication because of its
high success and effectiveness. Dr. Harding specifically chose to
partner with the BBI because of its like-mindendess in providing an
empirically-based and comprehensive approach to treating heroin
addiction. The BBI's distinctive paradigm of empowering individuals
to be responsible for their treatment, strict efforts to reduce
diversion, and community partnerships are consistent with Harding
Consulting's mission to help those who are truly seeking to help
themselves.
Harding Consulting has accepted several BBI
transfer patients thus far and patients have been very satisfied
with their experience. The clinic also accepts patients for
induction and maintenance and can be accessed through the BSAS
Information and Referral Line. |
We hope
you have enjoyed the fifth issue of Baltimore's BUP
Team Newsletter!
 If you
have questions about the Baltimore Buprenorphine Initiative please
contact
Vanessa Kuhn or call
410-637-1900 ext. 286.
To
unsubscribe from this newsletter, please send a reply to Sadie Matarazzo
with the subject "unsubscribe." or see the link
below. |
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Tell
us your thoughts about the BBI Team Newsletter!
Click here to send your comments and
suggestions!
We
want to hear from
you! |
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Featured
BBI Site
Next Passage
With 40
years of history, Next Passage continues to provide
Intensive Outpatient (IOP) and Outpatient (OP) services
to addicted patients and to others determined in need of
intervention by various systems and authorities. With the
introduction of the Buprenorphine Maintenance Program in 2006, Next
Passage currently has capacity for, minimally, 60 patients.
Entering into the 3rd year with the Baltimore Buprenorphine
Initiative, Next Passage continues to be a proud and active
treatment provider and partner of the BBI.
As Next
Passage nears completion of the 2009 fiscal year, the BBI
anticipates various changes in treatment and programming in the
upcoming year. The BBI staff along with the leadership at Next
Passage will review literature and provide in-services on "Evidenced
Based Practices" for applicability in the Next Passage program
offerings. Next Passage anticipates collaborating with
Robert Swartz, MD and Shannon Mitchell,
PhD. of Friends Social Research, in a
study with Buprenorphine patients to commence this in the fall of
2009.
Maxine Stitzer,
PhD, of the Johns Hopkins University
School of Medicine, also contacted Next Passage regarding
participation in a study to enhance rates of successful transfer of
patients from residential to outpatient substance
abuse treatment. |
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BBI
Staffing Updates
In the
Spotlight
BHCA
Baltimore
HealthCare Access, Inc. (BHCA) has recently hired two new staff,
Travis
Ridgway and Tina
Dominey! Travis comes to BHCA with
a passion for working with people, having worked as a rehabilitation
coordinator at a halfway house for psychiatric patients.
Travis is assigned to Partners in Recovery, Sinai's Addictions
Recovery Program, and Universal Counseling Services. Tina
started at BHCA in February after completing an internship at
Maryland Health Care for All! where she conducted outreach and
learned about the application processes for Medical Assistance for
Families and Primary Adult Care programs. Tina is conducting
outreach at Powell Recovery Center. Welcome to both
of them!
Chris Welsh
BSAS
Dr.
Christopher Welsh is a psychiatrist with additional board
certification in Addiction Psychiatry. He is an associate professor
at the University of Maryland School of Medicine where he has
worked extensively with opioid addicted patients. He has a vast
background in and extensive experience with medication assisted
therapies including methadone and buprenorphine. He has served on
various local, state and national advisory groups related to the
treatment of opioid addiction, screening and brief interventions,
and medical education and substance use
disorders.
FHCB hires new Clinical
Manager!
Dr.
Vanessa Hawkes, PhD, LCPC, has
been in the field of substance abuse for 14
years. Prior to coming to Family Health Centers of
Baltimore (FHCB), she served as the Clinical Director for
Operation at Tuerk House, Inc. Dr. Hawkes is currently
employed as the Clinical Manager for the Behavioral Health
Department at the Family Health Centers of Baltimore and has this to say
about it, "My transition to Family Health Centers of
Baltimore has been a delightful and
enriching experience thus far. The process of absorbing the
BBI information has been challenging but rewarding. I give
thanks to having such a great BBI team to assist
me"!
UCS Vacancy
Universal
Counseling Services is
seeking a full time psychiatrist to join the outpatient mental
health clinic and substance abuse treatment staff. The applicant
must have Maryland licensure, Board
certification/Board Eligible, and interest in treating the
co-occurring disorders population. Waiver to prescribe Buprenorphine
preferred. Interested candidates should submit a letter of
interest, CV, and three references to: Tracy
Schulden,
LCSW-C, Universal Counseling Services,
122 Weber
Street, Baltimore
MD 21230 or fax (410) 752-5531
or email tschulden@universalcounseling.com. |
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BBI Participating
Treatment Sites
Family
Health Centers of Baltimore
631
Cherry Hill Road
Baltimore,Maryland 21225
(410)
354-2005
Next
Passage (Bon Secour)
2901
Druid Park Drive Suite
A-103
Baltimore,
Maryland 21215
(410)
728-8901
Partners
In Recovery
2225
North Charles Street
Baltimore,
Maryland 21218
(443)
573-8672
Powell
Recovery Center
14 South
Broadway
Baltimore,
Maryland 21231
(410)
276-1773
Sinai
Hospital
2401
West Belvedere Ave
Baltimore, Maryland 21215
(410)
601-5461
Total
Health Care
1501
West Saratoga Street
Baltimore,
Maryland 21223
(410)
383-7197
Universal
Counseling Services
122
Weber Street
Baltimore,
Maryland 21230
(410)
752-5525
University of
Maryland -
ADAP
630 West
Fayette Street
Baltimore,
Maryland 21201
(410)
328-0126 |
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Buprenorphine
Summit
The
Baltimore Buprenorphine Initiative
Summit will
be held on June 18th from 4-8pm at Radisson Cross Keys.
All
BBI treatment provider staff and continuing care doctors are
invited. Dr. Wesley
Clark, Dr. Michael
Fingerhood, and Dr. Carlo
DiClemente, a nationally recognized
expert in addiction counseling, will be speaking.
Stay
tuned for an invitation! |
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Advancing
Recovery Update:
A
quality improvement change team has been working for the last year
on implementing process improvements to the BSAS budget modification
process. As a result of the team's work, a new procedure was
developed and implemented to streamline the process and reduce the
approval time. The new procedure was implemented in March and
the team will be evaluating the results.
The Advancing
Recovery team also formed a Transfer Process Change team to analyze
the transfer process that is integral to the BBI. The team
hopes to identify all barriers and difficulties
patients experience during the transfer process and make
improvements accordingly at the treatment programs and
continuing care sites.
We extend a warm welcome to the
Sinai Addictions Recovery
Program, the newest addition to the
Advancing Recovery team! Sinai joins Universal
Counseling Services and Total Health Care in the Advancing Recovery
efforts. |
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