Medically Assisted Treatment, or MAT, can be the bridge that many people need to find freedom from substance abuse and drug addiction. However, people can’t benefit from these programs if they don’t know they’re available. That’s where Co-Responders come into play: they find people who need help and connect these clients to MAT programs.
Co-Responder teams are comprised of behavioral health clinicians, rehab professionals, and often specially trained police officers to respond to people who are in crisis. When Co-responder teams respond to people in the community, they are in a unique position to connect them to MAT programs in hopes of overcoming addiction and preventing future relapses.
Below, we’ll talk about the different methods co-responders use to connect people to these programs, why they are effective, and the negative impacts of missing this opportunity.
How Co-Responders Connect Clients to Medically Assisted Treatment (MAT) Programs
MAT programs (Medically-Assisted Treatment) are a service for those struggling with substance abuse disorders. These programs offer help to those in recovery and have been shown to be a crucial treatment step for people trying to free themselves from the grip of addiction.
Co-responders have the unique opportunity to connect people to MAT programs. Why? Because Co-responder programs are more likely to encounter people who may be struggling with a serious addiction. Part of the Mobile Integrated Healthcare (MIH) and Co-responder programs model is to provide holistic care to the community.
What does that mean? It means that, instead of a “treat them and leave them” style of care, MAT teams seek to help people find freedom from various health maladies. This means that instead of being a pitstop where people happen to stop for care, MAT programs try to be a guide that walks them through the process. MAT programs uniquely fit into this system, so we’re discussing them in depth here.
The ways Co-Responders connect clients to MAT programs:
- Going to People in their Time of Need and Educating on the Benefits of MAT
- Following up with a Post Overdose Response Team
- Connecting Those to MAT Programs and Narcan Training
- Connecting with Clients and Educating about the Risk of Overdose
- Creating a Community Safety Net Connecting People to MAT
You’ll find all the details below.
Going to People in their Time of Need and Educating on the Benefits of MAT
Co-responders may provide referrals to MAT programs. Who are the people they might refer to? And why would someone want to go? That’s what we’ll answer in this section.
In general, two main groups of people are good candidates for MAT. You have those who are struggling with alcohol addiction or withdrawal symptoms and those who are struggling with opioid withdrawal symptoms. Let’s talk about how MAT helps both groups.
For those struggling with alcohol addiction, MAT programs will utilize a combination of medications and psychotherapy to help the client achieve freedom. Some of the medications they offer will help the client cope with withdrawal symptoms. They also have medications that will help the client have reduced urges to consume alcohol.
When you combine the medications with focused therapy, you get people who are much more likely to find freedom from alcohol.
For those who may be addicted to opiates, the process is similar. There are medications administered to the client that will help quell urges to consume opiates while also reducing the severity of withdrawal symptoms.
Here’s the point: many people who hear about a “new program that is guaranteed to help” are skeptical. It’s the role of the co-responder or Mat team to explain and educate people on the reasons why these programs can be effective. When people understand how something will work, they are more likely to commit to it and come out successful on the other side.
Co-Responders Connect Clients to MAT by Following up with Post Overdose Response Team
Co-responders are in a great position to assist people in the days after they have overdosed. Why? Many teams will respond to these people in the post-overdose phase. After someone has recovered from an overdose, they may be more likely to seek help.
For one, they have now seen just how dangerous substance use disorders can be and how detrimental it is to their mental and physical health. In these moments, people will look for a lifeline; however, if it isn’t there, there’s a good chance they will sink again.
As part of a Post Overdose Response Team, co-responders want to be that lifeline. When someone needs it most, they are ready to offer help. One of the ways co-responders may choose to help is by referring these people to an MAT program.
It’s important to remember that treatment and help are voluntary in these cases – this means that the person should not be forced into treatment. The best case scenario is that the person decides they will jump with two feet into a recovery program, and MAT might be just the thing.
If the person should seek treatment in the post-overdose phase, co-responders are there to make phone calls, educate them on the process, and connect them with recovery providers.
Connecting Those to MAT Programs and Narcan Training
Co-responder teams may be part of Narcan and Emergency overdose response training in their communities. This is also a unique opportunity to connect people with MAT programs. For one thing, these types of emergency overdose care training are designed to demonstrate just how dangerous an OD can be.
For another thing, there may be people who have experienced overdose or addiction in attendance (and there will undoubtedly be people who know someone who may be struggling with a substance use disorder).
Combining MAT referrals with these trainings can be beneficial with all this in mind. Not only does a friend or family member learn what to do should their loved one experience a dangerous overdose, but they can also learn some of the tools available to these people to help them through recovery.
Connecting Clients to MAT Who are At-Risk of Overdose or Relapse
Co-responders frequently respond to people who may be having behavioral or mental health crises. In these situations, they will often encounter those who have been addicted to substances in the past or those who are currently trying to overcome an addiction.
Regardless of the situation, co-responders can certainly educate them on the benefits of MAT. For example, there may be a patient who used to struggle with addiction. They have currently been dealing with some mental health issues that have led to strong urges to return to the substance they once used.
If the co-responders can intervene at this point, then they have a good chance of referring these people to a MAT program where they may be treated to help prevent relapse and improve mental health.
Creating a Community Safety Net Connecting People to MAT
Most community outreach programs can connect people to MAT programs; however, they can only do so much alone. A community that is connected can do so much more. How?
Consider that the ambulance service begins referring people to a local MAT program. They see a few people each month who may be candidates, and they send them over. Indeed, this is a good start. But think about how much could be accomplished if the fire department, law enforcement officers, community medics, mental health professionals, and social workers could all communicate and refer people to Medically-Assisted Treatment.
A lot could get done.
However, this can only happen if communities are woven together and communicate well. Tools like Julota allow different services to communicate and refer clients to MAT programs seamlessly. Their platform is safe, private, and accessible from any service.
Let’s go over a few final words.
Conclusion: How Co-Responder Programs Can Connect People to MAT
Medically-Assisted Treatment (MAT) programs can be a true lifesaver for those people working to beat addiction. The problem is that we need more people to know about these programs and a better process to screen good clients for MAT.
That’s where Co-responder programs come into play. Co-responder programs routinely enter patients’ homes during medical, behavioral, and mental crises. During these incidents, they can counsel and educate people on the benefits of MAT, sharing how they would be impacted and what they could expect.
While it’s great for a single co-responder program to be part of these programs, the best solution is to build a community safety net where EMTs, paramedics, social workers, and mental health professionals can all refer people to an appropriate MAT program should they be a good candidates.
Contact Julota to discover how their interoperable platform can connect providers and help you build that safety net for those struggling with substance use disorders. A Julota representative would happily listen to your needs, answer your questions, and provide a hassle-free demonstration.