New opioid treatment option available for Tennessee residents

Dallas, April 26, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Tennesseans struggling with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) have a new medication-assisted recovery^SM (MAR) option from Behavioral Health Group (BHG or the Company), the largest network of Joint Commission-accredited outpatient opioid treatment and recovery centers in the U.S. Today the company announced its Madison facility is now licensed to operate as both an Outpatient Treatment Program (OTP) and an Office-based Treatment Program (OBOT). This means patients and their treating physician have access to the full range of FDA-approved medications and either in-center dosing or a prescription.

Opioid addiction continues to ravage communities across the U.S., and in Tennessee, recent data tells us that the need for recovery services is pressing.

• An estimated 50,000 Tennesseans aged 12 or older reported past year opioid use disorder, and 189,000 reported past year opioid misuse.[i]
• 119,000 Tennesseans aged 18 or older reported needing but not receiving treatment for illicit drug use in the past year.[ii]
• In 2019, 1,543 opioid overdose deaths compared to 1,307 in 2018. [iii]

MAR for a person with OUD is much like insulin for a person with diabetes. It is the gold standard as it is an evidence-based care model that allows patients to receive necessary medication and counseling while continuing their daily lives.

“A person in a MAR program combined with behavioral health and counseling can work or go to school and generally live a better, healthier life — a restored life that contributes to strengthened families and rejuvenated communities,” said Benjamin Nordstrom, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Medical Officer for BHG.

Additionally, Medicaid-covered patients can receive MAR with no out-of-pocket costs, specifically no deductible or out-of-pocket expense for any OUD service, exclusive of the Part B deductible. BHG has contracts with most Tennessee managed care organizations for OTP services. Original Medicare, which all BHG centers accept, also fully covers OTP treatment with no out-of-pocket costs as of January 1, 2020.

By offering OTP and OBOT in the same location, we’re able to be flexible with medication types and how they’re administered. Patients stabilized on these medications can also engage more readily in counseling and other behavioral interventions essential to recovery.

“BHG is not medication only,” said Dr. Nordstrom. “BHG provides comprehensive opioid use disorder recovery services and offers medication. We understand that the path of recovery from opioid abuse will look different for each individual. Recovery is the goal, treatment is how you get there, and medication makes treatment possible. To help people have a fighting chance at a lasting recovery, we help eliminate as many barriers as possible and provide support services for the whole person. We have a tightly coordinated-care team of counselors, clinicians, and case managers, who meet patients where they are on their recovery journey and work with them to create short-term and long-term goals as part of their individualized treatment plan. All of this can help them learn how to better recognize triggers, develop coping skills, and improve their overall mental health.”

We’re closely following recommendations by federal and local officials to keep patients and staff safe since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak. This includes providing additional take-home doses based on each person’s treatment plan and state regulations, conducting counseling via telehealth, and requiring staff to practice social distancing and wear personal protective gear to always mitigate the risk of exposure. See our complete list of COVID-19 protective protocols.

Starting now, residents from Madison and the surrounding areas who need help can call BHG at 844-535-7291. Patients can enter treatment without a primary care referral. BHG Madison Treatment Center is located at 176 Cude Lane, Madison, TN, 37115. For more information about the facility, please visit bhgrecovery.com. To learn about the patient journey and getting started, visit here.

About BHG

Behavioral Health Group (BHG) is the largest network of Joint Commission-accredited outpatient opioid treatment and recovery centers in the U.S., delivering comprehensive, personalized evidence-based medical and behavioral therapies for individuals with opioid use disorder. With 117 locations in twenty-four states, BHG has more than 1,900 employees who serve more than 42,000 patients. To learn more, visit bhgrecovery.com.

[i] KFF analysis of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)’s restricted online data analysis system (RDAS), National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 2018 and 2019, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Data Archive.

[ii] Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 2018 and 2019

[iii] KFF analysis of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Center for Health Statistics. Multiple Cause of Death 1999-2019 on CDC WONDER Online Database, released 2021. Data are from the Multiple Cause of Death Files, 1999-2019, as compiled from data provided by the 57 vital statistics jurisdictions through the Vital Statistics Cooperative Program. Accessed at http://wonder.cdc.gov/mcd-icd10.html on February 26, 2021