Louisiana’s opioid dependence and habitual over-prescribing show the need for better access to behavioral health services

Many states, including Louisiana, face the incredible challenge brought on by opioid dependence disorders and over-prescribing. A growing concern in the New Orleans region is the rise in deaths caused by the synthetic opioid, Fentanyl, related to heroin but 10 to 15 times more potent.

The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals, Office of Behavioral Health (OBH) was recently awarded a grant by SAHSA to implement the Medication Assisted Treatment-Prescription Drug and Opioid Addiction (MAT-PDOA) project to expand and enhance capacity for coordinated care, medication-assisted treatment (MAT), wraparound services and recovery support services for individuals with opioid use disorders in the Greater New Orleans area. The MAT-PDOA project seeks address major challenges in substance use disorder (SUD) treatment within the state. LPHI is working in partnership with OBH and the Metropolitan Human Services District to implement the MAT-PDOA.

For more information about the opioid issue please see the below stories and resources.

Louisiana has more opioid prescriptions than residents
HHS takes steps to increase access to the opioid use disorder treatment medication buprenorphine
HHS takes strong steps to address opioid-drug related overdose, death and dependence
CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain, United States, 2016
Three Dozen States Sue Makers of Opioid Addiction Treatment Medications for Antitrust