Opioid overdoses killed more than 46,000 Americans in 2018, including 2,428 Californians. The opioid crisis continues to command national attention, and in September 2019, the federal government approved an additional $1.5 billion to states to bolster their response efforts. In California, this federal money supports the Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) Expansion Project. The project aims to increase access to treatment and reduce opioid overdose deaths through more than 30 programs focused on prevention, treatment, and recovery activities. The project has a special focus on populations with limited MAT access, including youth, rural areas and American Indian & Alaska Native tribal communities.
Join Harbage Consulting for a two-part webinar series to learn more about the California MAT Expansion Project:
Part 1: Overview of the MAT Expansion Project; Naloxone Distribution
Time: March 12th at 12 pm
Speakers:
Marlies Perez, Division Chief, Department of Health Care Services
Aimee Dunkle, Founder, The Solace Foundation
This webinar will provide an overview of the more than 30 projects under the MAT Expansion Project and describe outcomes since the project began in 2017. It will also provide information about the Naloxone Distribution Project, which provides the opioid overdose reversal drug naloxone free of charge to entities throughout the state. More than 10,000 opioid overdose reversals have occurred to date.
Download the webinar slides.
Part 2: Responding to the Opioid Crisis in Tribal Communities and the Criminal Justice System
Time: March 25th at 12 pm
Speakers:
Tyler Sadwith, Senior Associate, Technical Assistance Collaborative
Arlene Brown, Recovery Support Navigator, Northern Inyo Hospital
Donna Strugar-Fritsch, Principal, Health Management Associates
Part 2 will delve into the response to the opioid crisis in tribal communities and in the criminal justice system. The Tribal MAT Project is working across the state to increase access to treatment and prevent overdose deaths, with special consideration for Tribal and Urban Indian values, culture, and treatments. In the criminal justice system, work is underway to increase access to treatment for substance use disorder in jails and drug court systems in 29 counties across California, serving more than 75% of the state’s population.
Download the webinar slides.