CareSouth Working On Opioid Issue

Through its MAT Program, CareSouth Carolina is working to address the issues of drug and alcohol disorders in the Pee Dee region.

MAT is the use of FDA-approved medications, in combination with counseling and behavioral health, to provide a “whole-patient” approach to the treatment of substance use disorders. Drug overdose was responsible for the deaths of more than 70,000 Americans in 2017, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
To address these issues, CareSouth Carolina’s Daniel Myers spoke with more than 450 students and 40 faculty and staff members at Latta High School, giving information on how to identify substance use disorders, talking with students on what to do and addressing the stigma that surrounds substance use disorders.

“Early prevention and early education are the keys to stopping this opioid epidemic,” said Myers, the MAT/SUD Program Director and Consortium Director.
“Getting that education in early- including addiction education- allows us to take steps towards fighting the epidemic. In that meeting, some of the students asked for information to help with family members who are addicted.”

Currently, there are 627 patients in the CareSouth Carolina MAT Program. More than 20 million Americans are estimated to be battling a substance use disorder, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health.
“These people have a disease, it’s chronic,” Myers said. “It’s going to take a community of people willing to provide service, education, support and behavioral health.”
“We want to see a change of mindset when it comes to the stigma, as well.”
Myers is the director of the Rural Opioid Community Response Consortium. CareSouth Carolina was awarded a Rural Communities Opioid Response Planning grant earlier this year to develop the consortium in collaboration with community partners around the Pee Dee.
The organization has three main objectives: Prevention of opiate use disorders, Treatment of opiate and other substance use disorders and Sustained Recovery for people of all ages who are struggling with an opiate use disorder or dependency.
To show appreciation for partnering with the consortium and working to fight the opioid epidemic, Myers donated Narcan—an opioid antagonist used for the complete or partial reversal of opioid overdose- to the Latta and Dillon Police Departments.
“It was just a token of our appreciation for them being loyal members of our consortium and for being a resource for us,” Myers said. “They partnered to take in referral cards for people that have been charged with possession to get services for their addiction. They’ve been extremely helpful and are on the front-lines of fighting this epidemic.”
The over-arching goal of the consortium will be to de-stigmatize the initial steps to obtain help for an opiate or other substance use disorder.
“Our slogan is ‘I know someone…Let’s talk about it…,’” Myers said.
“If you know somebody that’s refused treatment because of stigma, embarrassment or any other reason, let’s talk about it. Let’s be a resource.”

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