October 7, 2019

MONTHLY NEWS AND UPDATES

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IN THIS ISSUE IEOCC Activities and Progress: Our Dashboard Updated Crisis by the Numbers: California and Inland Empire, 2017 to 2018 Resource: Don't Drop Your Patient! Resource: Toxicology Associations' Advice for First Responders to Fentanyl Overdose 4 Things You Can Do to Help IEOCC Workgroups and Meetings

IEOCC Activities and Progress: Our Dashboard Updated

The IEOCC’s dashboard has been updated for fall 2019 to include the newest goals, strategies, and progress of the different workgroups. For the Access to Treatment workgroup, 26 patients have been “successful after 30 days” for four months in the ED Bridge program at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center .  The Safe Prescribing workgroup added a new goal of working with commercial pharmacies and health plans to reduce barriers to filling buprenorphine prescriptions. The Prevention and Public Agencies workgroup is working to increase the percentage of first responders and community members carrying naloxone. The Education and Engagement workgroup continues to coordinate 2-4 speaker requests each month from IEOCC and other organizations. View the dashboard infographic at the end of the newsletter to read the full list of the workgroup’s updated goals, strategies, and progress.

Crisis by the Numbers : California and Inland Empire, 2017 to 2018

From 2017 to 2018, both California and the Inland Empire saw an increase in opioid overdose deaths and emergency department visits but a decrease in the amount of opioid prescriptions dispensed. In fact, although California had a 9% decrease in the amount of opioid prescriptions dispensed, it saw a 72% increase in fentanyl related overdose deaths. In the Inland Empire, 31 more people died and 44 more people were hospitalized due to an opioid related overdose in 2018 than in 2017. Over 200,000 fewer opioid prescriptions were dispensed, however, in 2018 than in 2017. These data can be found below as well as on the California Department of Public Health’s website and on the IEOCC dashboard at the end of this e-newsletter .

Resource: Don’t Drop Your Patient!

It can be detrimental when providers “fire” their patients, especially when it’s often doctors who help people get hooked on opioids in the first place. In a letter addressed to provid ers, the CDPH’s Acting State Public Health Officer, Charity Dean, MD, MPH, outlines information and resources for providers t o help improve patient pain management, while avoiding opioid overdose and dependence. You can read the full letter here , found on the Clinician and Prescriber Resource Page of the IEOCC website.

Resource: Toxicology Associations’ Advice for First Responders to Fentanyl Overdose

First responders are likely to encounter fentanyl on the job and may have safety concerns. To address these concerns, the American College of Medical Toxicology (ACMT) and the American Academy of Clinical Toxicology (AACT) released a position statement for first responders. You can read the statement here , found on the Clinician and Prescriber Resource Page of the IEOCC website.

4 Things You Can Do

Upcoming Meetings: ●       Steering Committee (focus on coalition strategy) on October 30 ●       Quarterly Meeting (focus on coalition strategy) on December 10   Learn more about the IEOCC a nd its mission and vision on our NEW website . Email Joshua Crouch, crouch-J@iehp.org , to learn more.   IEOCC Workgroups: Join one to collaborate on specific goals to end the crisis Action-takers wanted, to help execute our established strategies. Access to Treatment • Education & Engagement Safe Prescribing • Prevention & Public Agencies Email Joshua Crouch, crouch-J@iehp.org , to learn more.   Learn more about the IEOCC and its mission and vision on our NEW website .

ABOUT THE IEOCC

Vision:   To reduce opioid use and opioid related deaths in the Inland Empire. Mission:  The Inland Empire Opioid Crisis Coalition (IEOCC) creates effective community collaborations between member organizations and individuals who need help with pain management and addictive disorders. The coalition employs the values and techniques of harm reduction and integrated care. IEOCC will ensure the following changes occur in their communities:  Education and engagement with service providers and community members. Safer prescribing practices for opioid medications. Increased use of medication-assisted addiction treatment (MAT), as part of a comprehensive system of integrated behavioral health care. Increased availability and use of the overdose reversal drug Naloxone.

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