Tag: Michigan Opioid Partnership

Twitter Chat to Discuss Emergency Department Medication for Opioid Use Disorder

Member News, Patient Safety and Quality

To help raise awareness around Emergency Department (ED) Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD), the MHA will host a Twitter chat from noon to 1 p.m. April 4. During the event, the MHA will post questions from @MIHospitalAssoc, with commentary from the MHA Keystone Center, the Community Foundation of Southeast Michigan (CFSEM) and other members of the Michigan Opioid Partnership. MHA-member hospitals and community organizations are encouraged to share their current initiatives and success stories using the hashtags #MHAHealthChat, #MOUD, and #MAT.

The event follows an announcement of an ED MOUD initiative and funding opportunity for Michigan hospitals launched by the CFSEM in partnership with the MHA Keystone Center, the Michigan Opioid Partnership and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. The initiative aims to increase access to evidence-based medication for opioid use disorder and support the transition to long-term, office-based treatment upon discharge. Applications are now being accepted on a rolling basis until April 22. For the most current information, application instructions and grant guidelines, visit the CFSEM website, or contact the MHA Keystone Center to learn more.

Those with Twitter accounts are encouraged to participate in the chat to maximize the spread of information around ED MOUD, as many of these programs help address stigma and increase access to effective treatment for opioid use disorder. Those interested can confirm participation in the chat by contacting Lucy Ciaramitaro at the MHA.

Grants Awarded to Address Substance Use Disorder in Upper Peninsula

Member News

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan announced Jan. 19 that four Upper Peninsula community organizations will receive $490,000 in grant funding to help them address gaps in service for individuals and families facing substance use disorder (SUD) and to support the development and growth of recovery communities. Recovery communities offer a variety of services to support people recovering from SUD and their family members.

The MHA is a community partner in the project, along with the Upper Peninsula Health Plan and four members of the Michigan Opioid Partnership: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation, the Michigan Health Endowment Fund and the Superior Health Foundation.

The organizations’ two-year grant programming begins in January 2022. Organizations receiving the funding include the Eastern Upper Peninsula Opioid Response Consortium, Great Lakes Recovery Centers Inc., the Western Upper Peninsula Health Department and Superior Housing Solutions.

The MHA Board of Trustees identified behavioral health as a critical priority for the association in its 2021-2022 Strategic Action Plan. The board established goals for behavioral healthcare that include setting guiding principles, overcoming obstacles and seeking new funding. The MHA’s partnership in this grantmaking project is one of several steps toward achieving those goals.

Coverage of the press release includes stories from WJMN-TV and WLUC-TV6. For more information on the grants, contact Ruthanne Sudderth at the MHA. Additional information on the association’s efforts to address behavioral health is available from Laura Appel at the MHA.

Grants Available to Fund ED Medication for Opioid Use Disorder Initiative

Member News, Patient Safety and Quality

In partnership with the MHA Keystone Center, Michigan Opioid Partnership and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan (CFSEM) has launched an Emergency Department (ED) Medication for Opioid Use Disorder Initiative and funding opportunity for Michigan hospitals. The initiative aims to increase access to evidence-based medication for opioid use disorder and support the transition to long-term, office-based treatment upon discharge. More information about the initiative is available in an online video.

The next application cycle will open Jan. 3 and close Jan. 21. Additional application cycles during the award period, which ends Sept. 30, will depend upon remaining funding. Grant funds are limited and are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Eligibility will be determined by the number of encounters each hospital has annually to treat patients for opioid-related overdoses. Eligible hospitals are encouraged to coordinate and apply as a system. If two or more eligible hospitals from the same system are interested in applying, they are encouraged to contact the CFSEM to discuss the possibility of applying as a system. Eligibility for grant funding is outlined as follows:

  • Hospitals with more than 100 encounters annually are eligible for technical assistance and up to $150,000.
  • Hospitals with 50-100 encounters annually are eligible for technical assistance and up to $75,000.
  • Hospitals with fewer than 50 encounters annually are eligible for technical assistance and are strongly encouraged to contact the CFSEM if interested. Currently, hospitals with fewer than 50 encounters annually are ineligible for funding.

Application instructions and grant guidelines are available on the CFSEM website, and future application cycles will be posted there. Members may contact the MHA Keystone Center with questions and email CFSEM to learn more or to request a meeting to discuss this opportunity.