UMMC receives federal grant to expand addiction treatment services


JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – The University of Mississippi Medical Center will be putting a brand-new $6 million dollar grant towards addiction treatment services in the state.

Addiction treatments can be life-altering however aren’t constantly within reach for some. Others do not understand where to turnfor help Dr. Jefferson Parker describes that this newest $6 million dollar federal grant will permit more Mississippians to gain access to UMMC’s proficiency.

” One of the common things that occur is, I’ll get a phone call from a family member who’s frantically attempting to discover treatment for a loved one,” explained Dr. Parker, teacher and department director of psychology in UMMC’s Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, who likewise co-directs the Center for Development and Discovery in Addictions (CIDA). “One of the important things that this grant is going to provide is a statewide real-time resource where somebody, a treatment provider or family member will be able to go online and see what treatment centers have a bed today, which ones do which one do not.”

The additional financing likewise accounts for the absence of healthcare coverage in the state.

” This grant cash is going to provide treatment scholarships that will be able to send out people to residential treatment if they require that,” included Parker. “We have cash to assistance medications suggested for medication-assisted treatment if they’re unable to pay for that, and it’s medically proper for them. And likewise even cash to help with transport from their house, state to the treatment center or from the house to the drug store to get that medicine, truly wraparound services that will be readily available in the entire state.”

And telehealth methods people can have consultations, even with simply a smart device. UMMC is working on assisting those with both drug and alcohol addiction.

” Most likely the primary opioid that you still see are prescription opioids,” described Dr. James Rowlett, UMMC teacher of psychiatry and co-director of UMMC’s CIDA. “That’s minimized a bit. Fentanyl has actually simply soared up. Actually. Given that the pandemic, it was increasing prior to that, however the pandemic appeared to speed up that.”

This comes simply as the CDC is softening its opioid recommending standards for the very first time considering that 2016. Some professionals state the previous assistance contributed to the decrease in the boost of opioid prescriptions across the country. However others argue it led to unexpected repercussions for patients with pain.

For more information on how UMMC will use this newest grant, click HERE

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