KHA’s Kentucky Statewide Opioid Stewardship (KYSOS) program is pleased to announce Crittenden Community Hospital in Marion has joined the ED Bridge Program. KYSOS is working with Kentucky hospitals to fight the opioid epidemic by providing services to inpatient hospital settings, outpatient primary care clinics, and emergency departments (ED) throughout the state.
The main objective of the ED Bridge Program is to ensure patients with opioid use disorder (OUD) receive 24/7 access to care. This program helps patients receive low-barrier treatment, bridge them to ongoing care in their community, and nurture a culture of harm reduction in EDs. One of the core elements of the program is to connect OUD patients with a Peer Support Specialist (PSS). Peer Support Specialists, persons in long term recovery, offer a unique opportunity to share their lived experiences to help mentor, guide, and encourage patients with OUD. Their connection to OUD patients is a key component to the program’s success.
Kentucky Opioid Response Effort (KORE) is supporting the program and generously providing funding for participating hospitals to hire Peer Support Specialists for an entire year.
