Emergency Medical Services Buprenorphine Use Pilot Program

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).

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Buprenorphine Utilization Performance Evaluation (BUPE) Registry Pilot

The BUPE Project aims to design, develop and implement a buprenorphine performance registry and referral system to track the performance of prehospital and hospital buprenorphine programs in California and manage addiction services referrals from emergency medical services (EMS) to social services. Current programs use various manual means to understand the longitudinal care episode of their patients facing opioid use disorder. This registry and referral system will automate many areas of such work, saving resources for each operation and creating new visibility across operations.

This project receives funding from the State Opioid Response (SOR) grant through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

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Low-Barrier Opioid Treatment at Syringe Service Programs

Led by The Center in partnership with CDPH, this grantmaking opportunity is for syringe service programs to integrate opioid treatment services and other harm reduction services into existing sites to increase the availability and access of treatment services and to offer related supportive services such as case management and peer support. This innovative project works to embody whole person care and is directly for individuals who use drugs and for expanding care and access to communities often not fully served by current health infrastructures. Funded partners promote health equity in their services by providing trauma-informed care, acknowledging and addressing the intersectionality of participants, and ensuring the meaningful involvement of those being served.

Funds Awarded

Project Leads

California Overdose Prevention Network

The PHI Center for Health Leadership and Impact (CHLI) operates the California Overdose Prevention Network (COPN), a respected statewide learning network for coalitions, organizations and individuals working at the forefront of the overdose epidemic. COPN’s mission is to build a movement to strengthen connections within communities and provide access to knowledge, training, and resources to implement solutions that save lives.

COPN offers a monthly series of free webinars, workshops, and guided discussions to support local leaders in effective coalition building and overdose prevention strategies. Topics covered in 2022 included naloxone distribution, strategies for addressing toxic stress and burnout, and partnership strategies for local coalitions. The statewide learning network also disseminates a monthly digest to more than 2,200 subscribers with announcements of upcoming COPN webinars as well as external events, resources, funding opportunities, and new stories related to substance use and overdose prevention. COPN also hosts biannual convenings with learning and networking opportunities for local leaders across the state. According to the 2022 member survey, 98% of respondents agreed that participating in COPN is a good use of their time, addresses content that is a priority for them or their organization, and has improved their performance and impact. According to one member, “Before COPN we operated in a more isolated way…COPN has broadened our prospective and given us a sense of unity with other coalitions tackling our nation’s overdose epidemic.”

In addition to the statewide learning network, the COPN Accelerator is a 12-month cohort program to help local overdose prevention coalitions strengthen their performance and impact. This team-based program offers monthly workshops, guided tools, and coaching. Each cohort year addresses an emerging need in the field, such as strategies to strengthen coalition infrastructure, multi-sector partnerships, and data-informed strategies in harm reduction and youth engagement. COPN is currently running its fourth Accelerator cohort cycle to help local coalitions fortify their approach to health equity. 100% of respondents from the last cohort cycle said the program increased the effectiveness of their coalition and has potential for positive impact in their community.

Through a unique partnership with the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), COPN sponsors the largest AmeriCorps VISTA program dedicated to overdose prevention in the country. Through this program, up to 40 AmeriCorps VISTA assignees serve full-time in COPN coalitions and provides ongoing development and learning opportunities for AmeriCorps members in the field. To date, more than 70 AmeriCorps members have served in COPN coalitions across California.

Drawing on the success of COPN, CHLI also operates the National Overdose Prevention Network (NOPN) to connect leaders across the country. With more than 7,200 subscribers, this learning network offers national conversations that feature innovative practices in California and foster dialogue on trending topics including fentanyl treatment strategies, mental health first aid, and opportunities to leverage opioid settlement funding.

This project receives funding from the State Opioid Response (SOR) grant through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

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Project Leads

Young People in Recovery

Young People in Recovery is a recovery support services organization focused on creating recovery-ready communities throughout the nation for young people in, or seeking, recovery. Young People in Recovery has partnered with DHCS to launch new chapters and life-skills curriculum programs to individuals in recovery from opioid use and substance use disorders.

To date, Young People in Recovery has served 37,000 Californians across its programs and chapters in the state and has held over 3,700 events.

This project receives funding from the State Opioid Response (SOR) grant through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

Project Leads