Youth Opioid Response in San Bernardino County
The YOR California project envisions a California with a continuum of accessible and effective youth-specific services. With this goal in mind, the California Institute for Behavioral Health Solutions, YOR California, has funded a $750,000 grant from August 1, 2019 to August 31, 2020, to prevent and reduce opioid overdose deaths and opioid use disorders (OUD) among youth in San Bernardino County.
San Bernardino County’s Youth Opioid Response (SBC YOR) program target population is those between 12 – 24 years of age who are at risk of or identified as having an OUD. SBC YOR aims to serve this population and their families by taking their concerns and dynamics into consideration and addressing the impact of the OUD, with the goal of decreasing morbidity and mortality of youth affected by the opioid epidemic.
Some risks and barriers in implementing MAT program in this target population with OUD would include the concerns related to consenting minors, factors involving client’s confidentiality, and overcoming prescriptive limitations for MAT in persons under age 18. The opioid epidemic has become a problem among the youth in the community. The California Department of Public Health reports there are 0.63/100,000 opioid related deaths per youth ages 15-19. Prescription substance misuse has been found to be an increasing problem among youth in San Bernardino County.
Although there are resources offered throughout the County by various organizations for the target population and their families, there is still fragmentation of communication and coordination in care between various stakeholders. This includes sharing vital information and important statistics regarding the OUD and Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) between the agencies involved. The coalition intent to improve and support the effort to enhance the continuity of care and warm hands-off for patients in need of MAT services. Part of the goal of the coalition involved in the SBC YOR, is expanding the resources to include MAT services to locations including criminal justice system, law enforcement agencies, schools, and substance abuse treatment agencies which in turn help to close the loop so we can all address this epidemic together by providing more continuity of care and communication between all entities.
Our coalition for this project was strategically formed in order to maximize our programs impact on this target population. Coalition agencies includes California University of Science and Medicine, Arrowhead Regional Medical Center, Fire Department, Probation Department, Sheriff Department, Department of Behavioral Health, and San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools. Each agency, lead and key partners have a collaborating role in this project. The experts in this coalition are able to institute additional training on the identification of OUD, development and implementation of screening tools, treatment protocols, and referrals to other local resources in order to receive appropriate care and treatment. We aim to work with YOR California and our regional coalition to promote community health and wellness.
In an effort to combat the opioid crisis in our region, individual leaders work together as a coalition to enhance the capacity of local networks to respond to the opioid crisis by implementing intervention strategies known to reduce opioid addiction and overdose deaths, addressing supply (safe prescribing), promoting recovery (ensuring access to treatment) and preventing overdose (harm reduction including naloxone distribution). Our focus as a coalition is to collaborate and provide continuity of care by identifying patients in need of care and treatment, providing appropriate services, and referring to appropriate locations. Many of our leaders in SBC YOR have been also actively involved in the main regional task force, IEOCC since its formation. As a result, they were able to put together 24/7 immediate access to care for our patients in the region by bridging the gap via IEOCC and other regional coalition members.
By working closely with regional task force members including IEOCC, SBC YOR coalition has established procedures and policies that provides patients 24/7 access treatment in varies locations of our region. Coalition work within IEOCC is a critical step to transform the current system and sustain the changes for generations to come!