Indiana Opioid Treatment Centers Acquired

AppleGate Recovery has acquired Lucina Treatment Centers, a group of five opioid treatment centers in Indiana, and will provide medication, counseling, case management services and access to medical providers, counselors and staff. The acquisition includes two Indianapolis offices as well as locations in Kokomo, Muncie and Fort Wayne.

By implementing these treatment centers, AppleGate Recovery President Michael Saul hopes that he can decrease the percentage of drug overdose deaths over the next few years. AppleGate is a subsidiary of BayMark Health Services, which operates 50 office-based opioid treatment programs across 13 states. The BayMark programs are known by the brand names AppleGate Recovery and Middlesex Recovery.

CDC Proposes Changes to Opioid Painkiller Guidelines

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention  (CDC) has proposed changes to voluntary federal guidelines, emphasizing that doctors should try other treatments before prescribing opioids, excluding patients with pain from cancer or sickle cell disease or those who are in end-of-life palliative care. The non-opioid treatment options suggested by the CDC include prescription medications like gabapentin and over-the-counter painkillers such as ibuprofen, as well as physical therapy, massage and acupuncture. These proposed changes are to help take control of the nationwide epidemic of opioid use and overdose deaths. “The draft document attempts to balance the need for using opioids to treat severe pain and reducing patients’ risks from the drugs."

These guidelines are recommended, not required. The CDC still believes that doctors should use their best judgment in each situation. When doctors feel the need to prescribe opioids, the proposed guidelines say they should begin with the lowest effective dose and prescribe immediate-release pills instead of long-acting ones. The CDC aims to release a final version of the updated guidelines by the end of 2022, the first revision since 2016. The current CDC Opioid Prescribing Guidelines are posted here.

To comment on the proposed guidelines, visit the Federal Register.

Indiana Drug Overdose Dashboard

Please visit the Indiana Drug Overdose Dashboard, where you will find data from 2017 up to provisional data for 2021. In this dashboard, you will find data regarding opioid prescriptions, hospital discharges, and drug-related deaths.

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UPCOMING EVENTS

Adult Mental Health First Aid

9 a.m.-4 p.m. EDT, Wednesday, March 16

Adult Mental Health First Aid is an evidence-based course that teaches participants how to help individuals that are developing a mental health issue or are experiencing a mental health crisis. This course will discuss the signs and symptoms for a variety of mental health disorders and look at understanding the impact of mental health and substance use stigma. This course requires advanced registration by March 2, completion of a two-hour online self-paced learning at least 48 hours prior to the event, and a $20 participation fee.

To register for this event, click here.

Mental Health First Aid – Youth Course

9 a.m.-4 p.m. EDT, March 31

Youth Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is an evidence-based course that teaches adult participants how to help youth who are developing a mental health issue or are experiencing a mental health crisis. This course will discuss the signs and symptoms for a variety of mental health disorders and look at understanding the impact of mental health and substance use stigma. This course requires advanced registration by March 17, completion of a two-hour online self-paced learning at least 48 hours prior to the event and a $20 fee.

To register for this event, click here.

Safety & Health Integration in the Enforcement of Laws on Drugs (SHIELD)

9 a.m. – Noon EDT, April 7

Police officers have been asked to take on new roles and responsibilities due to overdoses and other emerging challenges. Usually, they are exposed to safety risks due to inadequate tools or training. This SHIELD Training Initiative fills this gap, providing law enforcement with the tools they need to safeguard their physical and mental well-being, improve community relations and accomplish their public safety mission more efficiently.

To register for this event, click here.