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OpenBeds is a provider of a technology platform that identifies, unifies and tracks behavioral health resources to facilitate rapid connection to treatment. The www.treatmentconnection.com is a portal that enables those seeking mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) treatment to anonymously search for nearby providers, evaluate the type of care needed and submit confidential online referral inquiries to appropriate treatment providers vetted by the state of Indiana. This portal allows Hoosiers that are needing help for mental health and SUD challenges access to a self-service, innovative portal platform. The information provides real-time online treatment referrals between clinicians and treatment providers, which allows for the mental and behavioral health system in Indiana to be more responsive to the community in which it serves.
Synthetic cannabinoids (SCs) have become more common in recent years. SCs are manmade psychoactive substances that can cause unpredictable and sometimes severe health effects. In Connecticut, there was a recent overdose outbreak of SCs and syndromic surveillance data was an efficient way to monitor this outbreak. The data were from emergency department (ED) visit records and provided awareness to state and local health departments during the outbreak. This surveillance method made identifying and grouping the individual overdoses into one outbreak clearer by using key words. Indiana has a similar surveillance method, known as ESSENCE. Keywords and other information could be implemented to make the outbreak identification faster.
The campaign, titled “What are Friends For?” will raise awareness of substance use disorder and the legality of carrying naloxone to reverse the effects of an overdose. The campaign will show compassion and understanding can change the stigma around this disorder and provide resources to those in need. The campaign is funded by the National Association of County and City Health Officials’ (NACCHO) Integrating Overdose Prevention Strategies at the Local Level (IOPSLL) grant. After conducting preliminary research on the attitudes and knowledge of residents regarding SUD and naloxone legality, the current perceptions and stigma are better known. This will help guide the campaign, and secondary research will be conducted after the conclusion of the campaign to gauge progress.
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