Philly City Council members get Narcan training

KYW Newsradio    February 7, 2019 It’s a sign of the times: Philadelphia City Council members and their staffs received training Tuesday on how to administer the overdose-reducing drug Narcan. Councilwoman Cindy Bass organized the training after hearing about a fatal overdose in Dilworth Park, steps from City Hall’s entrance where employees pass many times daily. “You […]

Philly’s behavioral health team: The stigma against this addiction treatment is undeserved

Generocity.org    February 6, 2019 What’s in a name? For those following news about the opioid epidemic in Philadelphia and beyond, medication-assisted treatment, or MAT for short, is a frequently encountered phrase. Medication-assisted treatment, the provision of one of three FDA-approved medications (methadone, buprenorphine or vivitrol) in conjunction with psychosocial interventions (cognitive behavioral therapy or contingency management) […]

Officials expand medication-assisted treatment as they tackle opioid epidemic

KYW Newsradio    January 30, 2019 As Philadelphia continues to struggle with the opioid epidemic, the behavioral health department has announced it will make medication-assisted treatment, or MAT, available to everyone who enters residential treatment. There is no cure for opioid addiction, but there is medication. Deputy Commissioner Roland Lamb says it makes no more sense to […]

Philly’s behavioral health team: The stigma against this addiction treatment is undeserved

Generocity    January 30, 2019 What’s in a name? For those following news about the opioid epidemic in Philadelphia and beyond, medication-assisted treatment, or MAT for short, is a frequently encountered phrase. Medication-assisted treatment, the provision of one of three FDA-approved medications (methadone, buprenorphine or vivitrol) in conjunction with psychosocial interventions (cognitive behavioral therapy or contingency management) […]

Department of Behavioral Health announces it will offer Medication-Assisted Treatment to all

KYW Newsradio    January 28, 2019 As Philadelphia continues to struggle with the opioid epidemic, the Department of Behavioral Health has announced it will make Medication-Assisted Treatment available to everyone who enters residential treatment. KYW Newsradio’s City Hall bureau chief Pat Loeb reports. Click for entire report: Department of Behavioral Health announces it will offer Medication-Assisted Treatment to […]

New Philly mandate: Fight opioid crisis with medication-assisted treatment

Billy Penn    January 22, 2019 helley Bastos’ problems with opioids started early, after surgeries as a young woman hooked her on Percocet. But after years of battling drug use, she finally found a reputable clinic that helped her stabilize with the proper dose of methadone. For Bastos, it was a life-saver. “It was available,” Bastos, 37, […]

Philadelphia doubling down on medication-assisted treatment for opioid addicts

Philly Voice    January 18, 2019 It was announced on Thursday that, by next year, individuals with opioid use disorder in Philadelphia will be able to access medication-assisted treatment (MAT) through any of the 80 residential drug treatment programs under contract with the city. While some form of MAT has been available at most treatment facilities — […]

As Philly pushes for more medication-assisted drug treatment, thousands of treatment slots are still empty

Philly.com    January 18, 2019 Fighting the worst urban overdose epidemic in the country, Philadelphia health officials have scrambled to offer more of what is proven most effective in helping opioid users reach recovery: medication-assisted treatment (MAT). But nearly a quarter of the inpatient and outpatient treatment slots that fit the description are still empty, city officials […]

Smoking banned at city-funded residential addiction treatment programs in Philadelphia

6abc – WPVI    January 14, 2019 PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — A somewhat controversial smoking ban has gone into effect in Philadelphia. All city-funded residential drug and alcohol treatment programs are now tobacco-free. Some say it’s too much too soon, but the research shows it works. David T. Jones, Commissioner of Philadelphia’s Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual […]

Why the new ban on smoking in City rehab facilities feels like a kick in the butt to some

Philadelphia Weekly    January 8, 2019 Philadelphia’s new nicotine ban that began Jan. 1 in all city-affiliated rehabs and treatment programs is causing much trepidation and speculation. Some people have questioned whether it’s too much to ask those trying to recover from substance use disorders to kick nicotine at the same time. Others say the move is […]