Arundel Lodge, Inc., a community behavioral health nonprofit in Edgewater, MD that provides mental health and substance use treatment to more than 3,000 community members annually, including nearly 400 children, received a $50,000 grant from the Chaney Impact Fund to help fight the opioid epidemic by increasing access to medication-assisted treatment (MAT).
The Chaney Impact Fund is a component fund of the Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County. The mission of the Chaney Impact Fund is to nourish communities in Anne Arundel and Calvert Counties by supporting youth as the foundation for building healthier neighborhoods, today and in the future. One of the funding priorities of the Chaney Impact Fund is mental health and substance abuse treatment. Grants are made to nonprofit organizations that support substance use prevention at the grade school level, treatment, and education. “The Chaney Impact Fund is so proud to support Arundel Lodge’s MAT program. We know substance abuse is an uphill battle, and if this helps to save even one more life, we consider it a success,” says RG Lare, President of the Chaney Impact Fund.
“Addiction changes brain chemistry, so fewer than 25% of individuals who try to stop using opioids ‘cold turkey’ remain in recovery, due to intense cravings and withdrawal symptoms. But 40% – 60% of people who receive a combination of counseling and medication-assisted treatment, do overcome opioid addiction and live healthy, productive lives,” says Mike Drummond, Executive Director of Arundel Lodge. “One particular advantage to helping community behavioral health centers, such as Arundel Lodge, who have longstanding expertise with substance use disorders and mental health treatment, is that the integration of mental health and substance use treatment services helps increase chances of recovery success,” Mr. Drummond adds.
Medication-assisted treatment is an important, effective treatment for opioid addiction. The NIH states that “providing for the global availability of medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid addiction is more important than ever.” MAT uses a combination of two drugs, buprenorphine and naloxone. Buprenorphine, a partial opioid agonist, helps in weaning individuals from opioids; Naloxone, an antagonist, alleviates cravings for 24 hours, giving Individuals a fighting chance. MAT treatment happens in three phases: 2600 Solomons Island Rd ∙ Edgewater, MD 21037 main 443-433-5900 ∙ fax 410-841-6045 ∙ video ph 443-569-7132 www.ArundelLodge.org
1. Induction Phase – medically monitored startup of FDA approved buprenorphine products treatment performed in a qualified physician’s office or certified Outpatient Treatment Program. The medication is administered after abstinence from opioids for 12 – 24 hours and individual is in the early stages of withdrawal.
2. Stabilization Phase – begins after a person has discontinued or greatly reduced their misuse of the problem drug, no longer has cravings, and experiences few, if any, side effects. The buprenorphine dose may need to be adjusted during this phase.
3. Maintenance Phase – starts when a person is doing well on a steady dose of buprenorphine. The length of time of the maintenance phase is tailored to each individual and could be indefinite.
“The Chaney Impact Fund is contributing to something that is going to make a real difference for individuals and families in our community, and we are grateful for their partnership” says Mike Drummond.
For more information on mental health and substance use treatment in your community, contact Arundel Lodge, Inc. 443-433-5900.
