Experts' Contributions: “Hopes and Fears” 2016
Leaders in the field of drug treatment share their
predictions for 2016 and the challenges ahead. See Dr. Provet’s below. Click here for the full report.
The escalating opioid epidemic among middle-class
Americans drew unusual attention last year to our field across a wide public
sphere of elected officials, leaders of medical and scientific communities,
members of criminal justice and law enforcement agencies, and the mainstream
media.
While this attention is welcome, we need to make sure the
urgent need for treatment is reflected in the stabilization and expansion of
services for vulnerable populations. As states (including New York, with
high-need, disadvantaged populations) look to contain costs under Medicaid
managed care, we must work hard to ensure that the federal block grant is
maintained, the IMD [Institutions for Mental Diseases] exclusion is eliminated
and parity under the ACA [Affordable Care Act] is fully enforced. Without these
essential provisions built in to federal and state budgets and policies,
nonprofit organizations that provide the bulk of safety net services will find
it harder and harder to meet the increased demands for care.
At Odyssey House, we have been preparing for the impact
of managed care for quite some time and have established new systems to both
contain costs and streamline care. These include: electronic health record
keeping and linkages with hospital and other community-based providers;
evidence-based practices and medication-assisted treatment; and extended
outpatient and housing support services.
My hope as we look to 2016 is that we will not only
continue to provide quality care for disadvantaged substance abusers (who often
require intensive residential services in order to have a chance at achieving
and maintaining a functional life), but that their needs will be reflected in
the ongoing national debate on how best to treat addiction and its accompanying
social ills.
President & Chief Executive Officer
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