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HE A LTH • Summer 2021 11 2015 0 20 40 60 80 100 0 25 50 75 100 125 150 0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500 '16 '17 '18 '19 '20 2015 '16 '17 '18 '19 '20 2010 '12 '14 '16 '18 '20 Number of deaths Number of deaths Number of deaths 84 98 122 125 547 2,104 Opioid deaths in Worcester Source: Massachusetts Department of Public Health Worcester resident opioid deaths Massachusetts opioid deaths helped to alleviate some barriers related to transportation," Dr. Kavita Babu, chief opioid officer for UMass Memorial Health in Worcester, said. "It certainly exacerbated the digital divide. That's not an ideal platform for people who, for example, don't have smartphones or don't have consistent Wi-Fi service." The city is responding with targeted actions. Dr. Matilde Castiel, commissioner of health & human services for the City of Worcester, said the city is targeting at-risk populations by building relationships with those communities. "We started a couple of years ago, a re-entry task force, which is really looking at people coming out of jail," Castiel said. "How do we provide services for people coming out of jail? The majority of people, close to 90% of the people who are at our county jail, are there because of addiction and issues also related to addiction." The city has a wide variety of programs Castiel touted for their effectiveness in saving lives, such as educational programs, webinars and mental health programs. Stocking up with Narcan One difference-maker in Worcester is the availability of Narcan, a nasal spray counteracting the effects of an overdose. Pharmacies in Massachusetts have a standing order for Narcan. People are able to go to licensed pharmacies and purchase Narcan on request without the need of a doctor's prescription. In Worcester, emergency medical services technicians carry Narcan, allowing first responders to provide care during critical moments. Dr. Heidi Ginter, chief medical officer at Recovery Centers of America in Mass. "That's a really exciting program, especially because it allows us to get life-saving medication into the hands of patients who might refuse treatment or refuse transport to the hospital," Babu said. "That shows the desire of our prehospital teams to save lives and intervene in the overdose epidemic." Finding people where they are The city is looking at ways to provide care to people where they are, regardless of access to a computer. The city has partnered with UMass Medical to create a harm-reduction van. The program will have an RV act as a mobile treatment center. Healthcare providers will go around offering treatments and checkups to people unable to access telemedicine services at shelters or homeless encampments. "By providing people and boots on the ground where they were needed, we moved many of those barriers in terms of transportation, scheduling an appointment, having reliable access to a smartphone or an iPad, things like that," Babu said. The RV housing the treatment center has yet to be delivered. COVID- related shipping delays have caused it to take longer than expected to arrive. Despite this, Babu said the program has been up and running for three weeks. Rather than wait for the RV, UMass Memorial's team of doctors and physician assistants has been going out with backpacks to begin the program. "We have the personnel," Babu said. "We have an awesome team of people who are really dedicated to this patient population and to addiction treatment. We're not going to wait." IMAGE/ADOBE STOCK.COM H 695 Main Street, Holden MA 01520 Phone: (508) 829-5566 holdenhearingaid.com/audiologist HAVE YOU EVER HAD A HEARING EVALUATION? Matthew Moreno, Au.D. Doctor of Audiology • Hearing Aids • Batteries & Accessories • Assisted Listening Devises • Amplified Phones • Hearing Evaluations • Wax Removal • Hearing Protection • Musician's Ear Plugs • Swim Plugs Many hearing issues go undetected and that can lead to hearing loss, tinnitus and balance disorders. We offer comprehensive hearing care services including complete hearing evaluations, hearing loss rehabilitation, education and counseling.