Page 22 - BusinessWest November 14, 2022

Opioids
Continued from page 20
curtailed some services in the commu- nity to counter addiction.
“But I definitely agree that it’s not all about accessible treatment; it’s about having housing and other supports. The state has provided funding for these programs and services, but it’s also about where people go to live after treatment, what supports they have, and opportunities to find employment. Even if we have treatment that is acces- sible for them, if we can’t find them a home address, it’s going to be more difficult.”
For those lacking access to care, the
pandemic-driven isolation people felt didn’t help, Palmieri added — and in some cases increased a sense of stigma around seeking help.
“People are reluctant to seek sup- port and services because asking
for help means admitting there’s a substance-use issue that’s going on, and the stigma that surrounds opioid addiction is sometimes insurmount- able,” she said, adding that stigma isn’t a one-way street. “We’re trying to get people connected, but we face barri- ers all the time. People are reluctant
to hire somebody with an history of opioid addiction; people are reluctant to house somebody with a history of
opioid addiction, in lots of ways that aren’t based in reality, but based in fear, based in discrimination, based in stigma.”
Krauskopf said the Greater Holyoke area has plenty of resources in place, from increased naloxone distribution to facilities like MiraVista, which offers a full continuum of substance-use pro- gramming, from acute inpatient detox to a clinical stabilization service to outpatient programs like an intensive, four-week program that teaches skills ranging from emotional regulation to mindfulness to dealing with triggers. “It’s not one-size-fits-all here at all. We have all these programs, and patients
can really fit themselves into what they need at any given time and move through the services depending on where they are.”
The state has been aggressive with programming as well, expanding substance-use-disorder treatment and overdose-prevention initiatives since the start of the pandemic and investing $120 million in prevention programs from 2016 to 2022, as well as distrib- uting well over 150,000 naloxone kits since March 2020 to opioid-treatment programs, community health centers, hospital emergency departments, and houses of correction.
Try, Try Again
Cristina Rivera, director of Outpa- tient Services and Substance Use at MiraVista, said everyone’s addiction- recovery journey is different.
“We know that recovery is ongoing, and there might be bumps in the road. In that sense, we help people wherever they’re at. If you start using substances again, it’s not like we’re not going to accept you into our program and try to get you back on track.”
Piñero said it’s helpful to recognize that mental-health and substance-use challenges require the same attention as any chronic, physical medical issue.
“Recovery has its ups and downs just like other medical issues. Often, with diabetes, cancer, and other medical conditions that aren’t stigmatized, peo- ple are more willing to recognize that.”
Krauskopf agreed, citing studies suggesting that rates of relapse and loss of control in addiction recovery are similar to those in people manag- ing diabetes, asthma, and high blood pressure.
“The notion that recovery is a straight line is not realistic; it’s really up and down. Part of the disease is that patients will relapse, and we’ll help them get their footing back,” she told BusinessWest. “People have begun to pivot to understand this condition as
a long-term chronic condition that requires people’s full attention at dif- ferent levels of intensity, and we try to provide that here.
“Recovery is about medication for some, but lifestyle modification, too,” she added. “When you think about diabetes, many people do well with changes in their diet and exercise, and many people do that and need some- thing else at well. It’s all the same goal.”
While the need for more resources is high, she said, especially when it comes to residential programs, the hope is that those struggling with addiction will see past the persistent stigma and seek help from the many resources that are currently available, and that those overdose numbers will start to fall again.
After all, they’re much more than just numbers. u
Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]
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