CBHC could use opiate settlement funding
COSHOCTON − Coshocton Behavioral Health Choices feels it could put opiate settlement money to good use if some of those dollars were made available.
Jeanette Hall, co-executive director of CBHC, recently met with Coshocton County Commissioners to discuss programs and initiatives she feels would be beneficial to battling drug addiction in Coshocton County.
The first payment of more than $8.6 million to local governments was made last summer with entities to receive more money over the next 18 years. Commissioner Dane Shyrock said Coshocton County has received about $53,000 so far and that went to help fill a funding gap for Coshocton County Children Services, as about 80% of foster placements are connected to substance abuse issues in the home.
While Ohio Attorney General in 2017, Gov. Mike DeWine made Ohio one of the first in the nation to sue drug makers and distributors for their role in flooding the market with massive amounts of highly-addictive opioids.
Coshocton is part of Region 12 for funding distribution and programming. It also contains Muskingum, Guernsey, Perry, Morgan, Noble, Monroe and Washington counties. Mayor Don Mason of Zanesville is the Region 12 representative to the state level.
Shryock said Hall could petition the county or Region 12 for funding for programming, but there's no timeline for getting that money right now.
Areas Hall feels they could use funding includes treatment, medication assisted therapy and school-based counseling and prevention services. Hall believes these initiatives would fit known parameters for funding use.
Hall said many who have opioid addiction don't have access to affordable and effective treatment options. A nurse practitioner through CBHC could offer services, including at the new Coshocton Justice Center. Providing counseling directly at the justice center would be another goal.
"A lot of the folks in the jail certainly struggle with opioid addiction. They've been long-term clients and they just continue to have those difficulties," she said.
Hall said school-based services decrease the likelihood of youth developing substance abuse problems or can provide treatment early. Programming can help students build positive behaviors and attitudes, reduce the risk of negative outcomes and promote academic success. Hall said CBHC provides counseling at River View and Coshocton school districts, but funding for such ends next school year. Opiate settlement funding could also be used for a full-time prevention worker.
"We talk to kids not just about how drugs are bad, but how you can have coping skills so you're not turning to drugs when you become a teenager and how you set goals," Hall said.
Medication assisted therapy (MAT) is a form of addiction treatment using medication to help individuals recover from opioid addiction. Medication reduces cravings and withdrawal symptoms. They are used in conjunction with counseling and behavioral therapies to provide a comprehensive approach to addiction treatment, Hall said.
CBHC mainly uses Vivitrol and Sublocade shots. Vivitrol is $1,500 a dose and Sublocade is $1,800 a dose. This is covered by Medicaid, but private insurance may not cover all or anything for the medication. While many using medication-assisted treatment are on Medicaid, Hall said they are seeing more self-referrals who don't have insurance or private insurance.
CBHC has 21 clients using MAT currently, Hall said. A treatment course is usually one shot a month for a year. Hall said drug companies would give them extra doses for use in the past, but not anymore.
"We have Medicaid and I'm thankful for that, but there are a lot of clients that don't necessarily meet the standards for Medicaid," Hall said. "We're community mental health and we're always looking for alternates to help our people with some of these expensive medications."
Leonard Hayhurst is a community content coordinator and general news reporter for the Coshocton Tribune with more than 15 years of local journalism experience and multiple awards from the Ohio Associated Press. He can be reached at 740-295-3417 or llhayhur@coshoctontribune.com. Follow him on Twitter at @llhayhurst.
This article originally appeared on Coshocton Tribune: CBHC could use opiate settlement funding
