UAMS receives $2.3 million to compensate facilities for opioid treatment
by February 18, 2020 4:22 pm 501 views
The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences recently received $2.3 million from the Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS) to compensate facilities across the state providing opioid use disorder patients with medication-assisted treatment.
The money will allow medical providers to offer treatment for opioid use disorder to patients without insurance or the ability to pay for services.
This new effort is an offshoot of Medication Assisted Treatment Recovery Initiative for Arkansas Rural Communities (MATRIARC), a partnership between UAMS’ Psychiatric Research Institute and DHS.
Facilities wanting to take part in the project have until Feb. 28 to submit proposals to UAMS. The funding is scheduled to be available until April 30, 2020. The funds will cover expenses including the cost of medication, hiring peer support specialists, providing treatment services and even travel costs for patients using medication-assisted treatment.
Medication-assisted treatment is using medication to relieve cravings and withdrawal symptoms along with counseling and support to overcome the use of opioids. Medication-assisted treatment includes methadone that can only be dispensed through an opiate treatment program, products containing buprenorphine that require a federal waiver for prescribers and injectable naltrexone, which does not require special qualifications for prescribing.
Research has shown that a combination of medication-assisted treatment and behavioral therapy can successfully treat opioid use disorder and can help sustain recovery.
The following agencies have been awarded grants to provide office-based medication-assisted treatment: Recovery Centers of Arkansas, Ozark Guidance of Mountain Home, Quapaw House of El Dorado, Western Arkansas Guidance & Counseling of Fort Smith, Hamburg Health Clinic, WeCare & WeDeliver of Warren, UAMS Health Family Medical Center in Helena, UAMS Health Family Medical Center in Magnolia, UAMS Health Family Medical Center in Fort Smith, Harbor House of Fort Smith, Gold Cross Urgent Care of El Dorado, Spine Specialty Clinic of Heber Springs, Ouachita Behavioral Health and Wellness of Hot Springs, Counseling Services of Jacksonville, the Guinn Clinic of El Dorado, Northeast Arkansas Community Health of Jonesboro and Compassionate Care Clinic of Searcy.