The Emergency Medical Services Buprenorphine Use Pilot Program (EMSBUP) will support Local EMS Agencies (LEMSAs) and Emergency Medical Service (EMS) providers to provide treatment and access points for patients with an opioid use disorder (OUD). EMS agencies participating in the EMSBUP program will address substance use disorder as a treatable emergency condition, utilizing paramedics to identify and treat patients who would benefit from medication-assisted treatment.
The program will support LEMSAs to:
- Assist prehospital agencies to implement EMSBUP.
- Coordinate with Navigators to provide linkage to care.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of the EMSBUP treatment model by collecting de-identified data for the Bridge Patient Outcomes research study and monthly performance metrics.
- Identify linkage to care options for EMS patients with an OUD and provide a system for patients who sign out AMA (Against Medical Advice) to have access to outpatient treatment options. This program will provide all participating LEMSAs with access to materials, training, and technical assistance for navigators, clinicians, nurses, and other hospital staff and stakeholders.
This project receives funding from the State Opioid Response (SOR) grant through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).