Jan 22, 2025
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).
Project Leads:
Oct 8, 2024
The California Department of Rehabilitation (DOR) established a pilot program, Integrating Employment in Recovery, to provide training to substance use treatment facilities on incorporating evidence-based employment services into recovery programs. Through the program, DOR provides vocational rehabilitation employment services co-located in targeted treatment centers throughout the state to serve diverse communities as an integral part of behavioral health treatment.
In FY 2022-2023, four treatment centers were selected to serve in the pilot, based on their abilities to serve diverse populations and offer a variety of services. Individuals in treatment received vocational programming from peer specialists on topics such as career exploration, resume development, interviewing techniques, and self-advocacy.
Studies show that individuals who are employed are more likely to feel integrated into their communities after treatment, and less likely to relapse. Employment provides many benefits for individuals in treatment for substance use disorders, including stable income, positive social connections, and a sense of self-sufficiency. Historically, however, employment and career training has been a secondary focus in substance use treatment programs.
This project receives funding from Opioid Settlement Funds (OSF) through California’s Opioid Settlements.
Jun 28, 2023
DHCS, with assistance from The Sierra Health Foundation: Center for Health Program Management (The Center), will be providing funding to California’s eligible residential SUD facilities to implement, expand, and/or improve their MAT services. This funding will assist with costs associated with recruitment, mentorship, training and other associated costs to increase provider knowledge and comfort with providing MAT through a collaborative learning opportunity for facilities to implement best practices.
Residential treatment facilities and the inclusion of MAT in an individual’s treatment have the ability to help those with an opioid use disorder (OUD) achieve and sustain recovery. In 2018, California’s Senate Bill (SB) 992 was approved by the Governor and chaptered into law in an effort to prevent those with an OUD receiving MAT from being denied admission to a residential treatment facility. To further boost the availability of prescribed MAT in California, the Governor approved SB 184 in 2022 which requires treatment facilities to either offer MAT directly to clients or have an effective referral process in place with narcotic treatment programs, community health centers, or other MAT providers. Through this funding opportunity, DHCS aims to break through the barriers inhibiting facilities from offering MAT.
This project receives State General Funds from the State of California.
Project Leads
Other Resources
May 18, 2023
The Clinton Foundation’s Empowering Faith Leaders in California project addresses the opioid epidemic through a collaborative learning opportunity to empower religious leaders from diverse faith traditions to take on leadership roles in addressing substance use disorders (SUD) within their communities. Participating leaders will be provided information on the opioid epidemic, SUDs, local supportive resources, speaking about addiction without stigma, connecting people to treatment and recovery, and recognizing and responding to an opioid overdose with naloxone.
The Clinton Foundation will recruit two cohorts each year for two years. Each year will focus on two cities in California, and each cohort will be comprised of 20 faith leaders. This project will provide technical assistance, training, structured curricula, and collaboration to each faith leader to execute a community-based engagement project to raise awareness about addiction, reduce stigma, and share life-saving resources.
This project receives State General Funds from the State of California.
Project Leads
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Feb 16, 2023
The California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) is expanding California’s behavioral health workforce, as well as all other behavioral health professions, to improve consumer access to and productive participation in behavioral health services throughout the state. As part of this enhancement, DHCS contracted with Advocates for Human Potential, Inc. (AHP) to implement the Behavioral Health Workforce Development (BHWD) project.
Request for Applications: Mentored Internship Program (MIP)
DHCS looked for nonprofit 501(c)(3) behavioral health provider organizations, tribal organizations, and county-operated providers who offer behavioral health services and care deeply about mentoring the next generation of behavioral health professionals. Funding was available for such organizations to develop and implement an in-house MIP to assist in the treatment and recovery of patients with Substance Use Disorder, Mental Health, or co-occurring disorders. Priority was given to those organizations proposing to expand the workforce with staff that are trained to specifically work with individuals who have or are at risk of developing opioid use disorder. Applications were due Wednesday, March 15, 2023 at 5:00 p.m. PST.
This project receives funding from Opioid Settlement Funds (OSF) through California’s Opioid Settlements.
Resources
For more information about the Behavioral Health Workforce Development project, visit the BHWD Website.
Project Leads
