August 20, 2019 3:45 a.m.
SouthRiver Community Health Center has received funding to support the integration of physical and mental health services.
On August 8th, the U.S. Health & Human Services, Health Resources & Services Administration announced the allocation of nearly $400 million to combat the nation’s opioid epidemic. Over $200 million will go directly to just over 1,200 health centers across the nation to increase access to high quality, integrated behavioral health services, including treatment for opioid use disorder.
Oregon’s total Integrated Behavioral Health Award of more than $4.5 million will support 27 health centers, including SouthRiver. Each health center will receive $167,000 to expand access to integrated substance use disorder and mental health services.
The SouthRiver release said according to federal data, the number of patients receiving medication-assisted treatment for opioid addiction at community health centers throughout the U.S. increased 142 percent between 2016 and 2018. The release said at SouthRiver medication-assisted treatment, combined with individual and group counseling, is reducing barriers to care for patients who struggle with opioid use disorder. Last year 335 SouthRiver patients received that treatment, an 84 percent increase over 2017.
Dr. Gregory Brigham, CEO of Adapt said the funding will allow SouthRiver to invest in additional behavioral health staffing to work in coordination with medical providers and Compass Behavioral Health clinicians to provide care for patients with complex health concerns, including substance use disorders, chronic pain, depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Find out more about SouthRiver by going to www.southriverhealth.org.