A New Orleans hospital has spent $900k to change how the city treats opioid addiction. The LSU Integrated Health Clinic at University Medical Center New Orleans offers the latest addiction treatment that Louisiana providers can deliver. They team up medication with primary care and therapy for long-term recovery.
Local families will benefit directly. Residents have more addiction treatment options via a local hospital many folks already use.
The clinic’s substance use disorder program partners with leading hospitals around the country to develop long-term interventions. They aim to enhance opioid and stimulant treatment all across Louisiana.
A National Grant Backs Local Care
The New Orleans clinic draws on a $910,000 federal award from the CDC and the Department of Health and Human Services.
Programs of this kind focus on the points where patients who misuse drugs most often fall out of care, such as hospital discharge. Providers keep them connected to treatment through those transitions. A single team handles cravings and relapse alongside everyday medical needs under one roof.
The Clinic Treats Opioid Use Disorder
The Integrated Health Clinic near downtown is the first and only academic primary care clinic in Louisiana dedicated to people with opioid use disorder.
Rather than treating addiction as a stand-alone problem, the clinic wraps several services around each patient. Medication-assisted treatment uses FDA-approved medications to reduce cravings and withdrawal. Primary care physicians address the patient’s overall health and licensed mental health professionals provide counseling.
The clinic also screens for and treats hepatitis C, which frequently accompanies injection drug use.
About Opioids
Opioids include legit prescription painkillers and illegal street drugs. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid about 50x stronger than heroin, and even a tiny amount can be deadly.
Common signs of opioid addiction include strong cravings and withdrawal symptoms such as muscle aches, anxiety and insomnia. Other warning signs include secretive behavior, continuing drugs despite personal problems and seeking prescriptions from multiple doctors.
Treatment Families Can Access Now
Addiction treatment no matter your location exists. Hospital programs like the Integrated Health Clinic comprise one path. Others may prefer residential care.
Insurance and Medicaid coverage can lower out-of-pocket costs. Look into about same-day intake and follow-up care. It can make the difference between a program that sticks and one that stalls.
To get started, feel free to browse our directory for verified treatment centers anywhere in the country. Filter by cost, counseling services, and whether medication-assisted treatment is available.
You can also dial
800-681-1058
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