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Pasco County, Fla. – Yesterday, the State Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo, Deputy Secretary for Health Dr. Kenneth Scheppke and Florida Department of Children and Families Secretary Shevaun Harris, along with community partners, toured the expansion Coordinated Opioid Recovery (CORE) in Pasco County – a comprehensive addiction and opioid treatment network.
This year, Florida has experienced it long 4000 fatal overdoses reported. In Pasco County, Emergency Medical Services reported that in 2021, crews responded to over 3,400 overdose calls. Current data shows that Pasco County is in the top 10 counties in Florida with the highest fatal overdose rates.
The CORE Network is the first of its kind in the nation, coordinated through the Florida Department of Health, the Florida Department of Children and Families and the Agency for Health Care Administration. The CORE Network’s full-scale treatment approach spans every aspect of overdose response and creates a comprehensive, consistent system of care and patient navigation to holistically address all primary and secondary impacts of substance use disorder.;
“Addiction is heartbreaking for everyone involved, and ultimately we want to help people deal with the stress traumas that led them to addiction,” said. State Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo. “This program is an applied, intensive application of addiction management through powerful and effective practice that connects people with what they need to break out of the terrible cycle of addiction.”
“The existing standard of care for substance use disorder is outdated. The current overdose response in most of the United States treats acute overdose without providing access to sustainable care. said Dr. Kenneth Scheppke, Deputy Secretary for Health. “This is exactly why we developed CORE. This program facilitates the necessary connections between local emergency response and specialized health care networks to respond not only to an acute overdose, but to connect individuals suffering from substance use disorder to stable, long-term care.
In the wake of Hurricane Ian, there is also concern about increased substance use and overdose deaths due to the impact on individuals’ mental health and the disruption of normal pharmaceutical supply chains. It is essential that community partners provide resources to their communities as we recover from the devastating effects of Hurricane Ian. We must be vigilant both now and in the long term to prevent overdose deaths.
“The CORE network connects all the right services—emergency medicine, inpatient services, outpatient treatment, medication-assisted treatment and peer support services to intervene holistically at the right place and time.” said Florida Department of Children and Families Secretary Shevaun Harris. “This model helps ensure we don’t miss those key moments of impact when someone is ready to get help, but needs a strong, coordinated system of care to succeed.”
Substance abuse is a chronic, multifaceted, life-threatening disease. If an individual in Pasco County overdoses, the specialized emergency medical services protocol will begin stabilization while transporting the patient to a specialty hospital with specialty expertise in addiction medicine. Once all emergent health threats are stabilized, the patient’s long-term care needs will then be transferred to a multi-specialty outpatient practice to support sustained recovery.
CORE offers a personalized treatment umbrella ranging from primary care to mental health support. By facilitating these connections in Pasco County, CORE disrupts the revolving door of addiction by connecting overdoses to sustainable care in real time.
If you, or someone you know, is struggling with substance use disorder and would like more information about CORE in Pasco County, you can contact BayCare Behavioral Health at 727-372-4357 or the Florida Department of Health in Pasco County.
If you suspect an overdose, call 911 immediately. Florida State Dept sources that can be posted in public areas to ensure Floridians remain alert to the signs of overdose, how to respond and where to get help.
About the Florida Department of Health
The department, nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.
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