THE WEST BRANCH DRUG & ALCOHOL ABUSE COMMISSION

FOR THE YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2025, THE CASE MANAGEMENT UNIT SERVED OVER 2,000 INDIVIDUALS, MAKING REFERRALS AND PROVIDING CASE MANAGEMENT AND RECOVERY SUPPORT SERVICES, AS INDICATED, TO APPROPRIATE LEVELS OF CARE AT ANY ONE OF 59 CONTRACTED PROVIDERS. A TOTAL OF 223 WARM HANDOFF ENCOUNTERS WERE PROVIDED BY CERTIFIED RECOVERY SPECIALIST STAFF AS WELL.

STATE OPIOID RESPONSE (SOR) FUNDS WERE UTILIZED TO PROVIDE HOUSING FOR INDIVIDUALS IN NEED OF A STABLE PLACE FROM WHICH TO RECOVER. THERE WERE 115 APPLICANTS WHO BENEFITED, ALONG WITH THEIR FAMILIES, AT A TOTAL COST OF $241,234. A PART-TIME CASE MANAGER IS FOCUSED LARGELY ON PROVIDING COMMUNITY-BASED SUPPORT TO THE RECIPIENTS OF THESE FUNDS. AN ADDITIONAL PART-TIME CASE MANAGER WAS HIRED WHO POSSESSES A WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE AND HELPS TO FACILITATE INPATIENT ADMISSION FOR THOSE WHO HAVE PARTICULAR DIFFICULTY ACCESSING CARE DUE TO SPECIFIC NEEDS.THE COMMISSION WAS AWARDED THE PA DEPARTMENT OF DRUG & ALCOHOL PROGRAMS' SOR (RRH) GRANT TO SERVE AS THE RECOVERY HUB FOR REGION 8 BEGINNING JULY 1, 2023. A TOTAL OF $363,000 WAS AWARDED FOR JULY 1, 2024, THROUGH JUNE 30, 2025. IN SERVICE TO THE 12-COUNTY NORTH CENTRAL PA REGION, THESE FUNDS SUPPORT THE WORK OF THE COMMISSION'S RECOVERY SERVICES SUPERVISOR AS THE RECOVERY HUB COORDINATOR, A CONTRACTED CONSULTANT, AND ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT FROM THE COMMISSION. FUNDS WERE ALSO EXPENDED FOR OUTREACH, TRAINING, TRAVEL, AND RENTAL SPACE FOR THE PROVISION OF TRAINING. RECOVERY HUB ACTIVITIES INCLUDED PROVISION OF TARGETED TRAINING TO CRS STAFF THROUGHOUT THE REGION, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO INDIVIDUALS INTERESTED IN AND/OR PROVIDING RECOVERY COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION OR LICENSED RECOVERY HOUSING SERVICES, AND FACILITATION OF LOCAL COMMUNITIES IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND EXECUTION OF RECOVERY SYMPOSIA IN LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE REGION. ALL HUB EFFORTS ARE DESIGNED TO BUILD AND EMPOWER COMMUNITY-BASED RECOVERY AND RESOURCES.ARPA SUPPLEMENTAL, THROUGH BLOCK GRANT FUNDS, CONTINUED TO SUPPORT PREVENTION, CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES, AND RECOVERY SUPPORT. THESE FUNDS WERE USED FOR SUSTAINABILITY OF POSITIONS ORIGINALLY PROVIDED BY EXPANSION DOLLARS AND ALLOWED STAFF TO FOLLOW CLIENT PROGRESS MORE CLOSELY INCLUDING ADDITIONAL SUPPORT DURING INPATIENT TREATMENT STAYS. IT ALSO HELPED SUPPORT COMMUNITY-BASED CASE MANAGEMENT FOR RECIPIENTS OF HOUSING ASSISTANCE FUNDS AND A PART-TIME CASE MANAGER TO SPECIALIZE IN DIFFICULT INPATIENT PLACEMENTS.CERTIFIED RECOVERY SPECIALIST (CRS) STAFF ARE ON-CALL 24/7/365 TO PRESENT AT THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT OR VIA TELEHEALTH TO MEET WITH OVERDOSE SURVIVORS OR ANYONE AFFECTED BY SUBSTANCE USE TO ENGAGE AND TO FACILITATE AGREED UPON SERVICES. SUCH SERVICES INCLUDE INPATIENT TREATMENT VIA A CASE MANAGER, OUTPATIENT SERVICES, MEDICATION ASSISTED TREATMENT AND/OR CRS FOLLOW-UP SERVICES. THE SERVICE IS PROVIDED BY COMMISSION STAFF WITH HOSPITALS, A LOCAL EMS PROVIDER, AND A LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENT.THE COMMISSION ALSO DISSEMINATED 1,701 NALOXONE KITS AS A RECOGNIZED ENTITY AND VIA COMMUNITY DISTRIBUTION EVENTS IN LYCOMING AND CLINTON COUNTIES. NALOXBOXES (UNITS WITH NALOXONE, CPR MASK AND INSTRUCTION MANUAL FOR RESPONSE TO OPIOID OVERDOSE) WERE MONITORED AND REPLENISHED IN 47 COMMUNITY LOCATIONS IN CLINTON COUNTY AND 71 COMMUNITY LOCATIONS IN LYCOMING COUNTY. READY ACCESS TO THESE HAS THE POTENTIAL TO SAVE COUNTLESS LIVES AND PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE IN RECOVERY.IN MAY 2023, THE COMMISSION SECURED A 3-YEAR $300,000 HEALTH CHOICES/COMMUNITY CARE GRANT TO START A BEHAVIORAL HEALTH HOME PLUS (BHHP) PROGRAM. IN RECOGNITION OF THE MANY WAYS IN WHICH PHYSICAL HEALTH AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ARE INTRICATELY INTERTWINED, THIS HAS ALLOWED FOR A GREATER WHOLISTIC FOCUS ON SERVING INDIVIDUALS' TOTAL WELLNESS, INCLUDING, AMONG MANY THINGS, NICOTINE CESSATION SERVICES AND COMMUNICABLE DISEASE SCREENING AND TREATMENT AS THEY RELATE TO SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS. THESE FUNDS WERE EXPENDED IN FULL IN FISCAL YEAR 2024/2025, AND SERVICES ARE NOW SUSTAINED BY BILLING THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH MANAGED CARE ORGANIZATION FOR SERVICES RENDERED TO ELIGIBLE MEMBERS.THE COMMISSION HAS A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH LYCOMING AND CLINTON COUNTIES TO OVERSEE THE PENNSYLVANIA OPIOID LITIGATION SETTLEMENT FUNDS. THE COMMISSION, IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE MOU'S CORE STRATEGIES AND APPROVED USES, HAS UTILIZED THESE FUNDS FOR SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER TREATMENT, COMMUNITY AND JAIL-BASED MEDICATION ASSISTED TREATMENT, AND TO SUPPLEMENT INDIVIDUALS' HOUSING, UTILITY, AND TRANSPORTATION NEEDS.THE COMMISSION SERVED ON A CONSORTIUM WITH UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH'S SCHOOL OF PHARMACY PROGRAM EVALUATION & RESEARCH UNIT (PITT PERU), COMMUNITY CARE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, AND CROSSROADS COUNSELING, INC. IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF A HEALTH RESOURCES & SERVICES ADMINISTRATION (HRSA) RURAL COMMUNITIES OPIOID RESPONSE PROGRAM (RCORP) COUNTY OVERDOSE REDUCTION EXPANSION (CORE) GRANT FOR CLINTON COUNTY. ITS DESIGN WAS TO SUPPORT ACCESS TO TREATMENT, PREVENTION, AND HARM REDUCTION EFFORTS TO ELIMINATE OVERDOSES IN CLINTON COUNTY.COMMISSION STAFF ALSO HOLDS RESPONSIBILITY FOR CRISIS INTERVENTION TRAINING (CIT) FOR BOTH LYCOMING AND CLINTON COUNTIES. CIT HELPS FIRST RESPONDERS TO RECOGNIZE SUD AND MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS IN THOSE THEY ENCOUNTER AS WELL AS TO DEVELOP SKILLS AND BECOME ACQUAINTED WITH TOOLS FOR MEETING THESE NEEDS TO IMPROVE OUTCOMES.FAMILY REMAINED A FOCAL POINT. BALM, OR BE A LOVING MIRROR, WAS AGAIN PROVIDED TO LOVED ONES OF INDIVIDUALS SUFFERING WITH A SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER. A CRS, DUALLY CERTIFIED AS A CERTIFIED FAMILY RECOVERY SPECIALIST (CFRS), IS ENGAGING YOUTH WHOSE PARENTS ARE STRUGGLING WITH AN SUD, MEETING WITH THEM INDIVIDUALLY IN THE SCHOOL, EDUCATING THEM ON SUD AND OFFERING SUPPORT.RUNNING OVER ADDICTION IN LYCOMING COUNTY AND THE RALLY FOR RECOVERY IN CLINTON COUNTY CELEBRATED THEIR 10TH YEAR AND WERE VERY WELL ATTENDED. THE COMMISSION ALSO OBSERVED INTERNATIONAL OVERDOSE AWARENESS DAY, HONORING LIVES LOST, SUPPORTING THE LOVED ONES LEFT BEHIND, AND BRINGING ATTENTION TO THE DANGERS OF SUBSTANCE USE IN AN EFFORT TO AVOID FUTURE OVERDOSE DEATHS.