Supporting Recovery

Recovery focused initiatives serve those struggling with substance use disorders (SUD) by connecting individuals (through peer supports) to treatment and recovery options. Outreach staff also engage with clients to address social determinants of health (SDOH), provide education, and long-term solutions to sustain recovery and encourage prevention.

Programs

EPICC

Engaging Patients in Coordinated Care

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DSSC

Dunnica Sobering Support Center

View Report

Family TREE

Youth and Family Treatment Enhancement and Expansion

Engaging Patient in Coordinated Care

EPICC (Engaging Patients in Care Coordination) links individuals age 14+ with severe opioid use disorder (OUD) to community based treatment with the help of Peer Recovery Coaches.

The goal of EPICC is to reduce the number of opioid-related deaths in Eastern Missouri.

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Program Impact

view Impact Statement

Program Overview

Peer Recovery Coaches

EPICC Coaches are individuals who have lived experience in substance use and recovery. They are able to make strong connections to referred clients through shared understanding, respect, and mutual empowerment. Coaches are trained and certified by the Missouri Department of Mental Health.

Medication Assisted Treatment

MAT is the use of medication such as buprenorphine or methadone in combination with counseling and other therapies to treatment opioid use disorders. EPICC promotes the use of MAT in hospitals and can provide short-term “bridge prescriptions” for clients until they can be seen by a treatment provider.

Partnerships

EPICC receives referrals from every hospital in Missouri’s Eastern Region (25). Referrals are also made from eight EMS/fire districts. Individuals are referred to one of seven substance use treatment provider agencies. Other partners include Missouri Institute of Mental Health and PreventED, who provide opioid overdose education. Prevent ED also facilitates distribution of Narcan/Nalaxone, which reverses the effects of an overdose.

Addressing Special Populations

EPICC has a Recovery Coach on site at the BJC Perinatal Behavioral Clinic to assist pregnant and postpartum women. Through a collaboration with the Youth & Family TREE project, EPICC serves youth ages 14-17. EPICC also works with the Faith Community, using two churches from the Bridges to Care & Recovery program to provide telehealth access to provider agencies, overdose education and Narcan distribution, and SmartRecovery groups.

Email

Jennifer Miller

Director of Community Programs

Epicc has served 15,185 clients since the beginning in 2016.

unique clients referred

Dunnica Sobering Support Center

The Dunnica Sobering Support Center (DSSC) is the result of a collaborative planning process, facilitated by BHN, that involved multiple stakeholders from healthcare, law enforcement and behavioral health. BHN and community partners, including law enforcement, designed and implemented the first Sobering Center in the region and state of Missouri. The facility opened in December of 2021 and is managed by Preferred Family Healthcare.

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Program Overview

The center is a 23-hour crisis stabilization unit offering services to those actively under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol as a safe space to get sober and keep from depleting resources at hospital emergency rooms and among law enforcement.

Desired Impact

Divert and minimize involvement with the criminal justice system 

Reduce the time that law enforcement spends out of service through quick drop off

Reduce preventable use of emergency departments

Provide referral/linkage services for behavioral health and substance use disorder treatment and community supports to address social determinants of health.

Email

Jennifer Miller

Director of Community Programs

Youth and Family Treatment Enhancement and Expansion (Family Tree)

Family TREE enhances and expands comprehensive treatment, early intervention, and recovery support services for youth (ages 12 – 18) with:

and their families/primary caregivers. 

TREE recognizes that family/primary caregiver involvement in a youth’s treatment is a key factor in effective treatment and recovery programs.  

Program Overview

Services for youth and family members

Youth ages 12-18 living in St. Louis City, St. Louis County, St. Charles County or Jefferson County are eligible for Family TREE substance use treatment and mental health services. Caregivers are also screened for behavioral health and other needs and referred to services. Referrals are made from schools, hospitals, family courts, and BHN’s Engaging Patients in Care Coordination and Youth Emergency Room Enhancement programs. Youth and families can also self-refer. 

Community outreach

Behavioral Health Network partners with hospitals and urgent care centers to improve conversations about substance use with their patients and encourage the use of standard screening tools. For example, a youth may be admitted to an inpatient medical unit because they broke a leg while riding their bike intoxicated, and if properly screened they can be referred for help.  

Email

Dana Silverblatt

Director of Community Programs

EPICC and DSSC are funded by the Missouri Department of Mental Health (DMH).

TREE is funded by SAMHSA.