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50 | DOING BUSINESS IN CONNECTICUT | 2018 2018 | DOING BUSINESS IN CONNECTICUT | 50 SPONSORED REPORT 2018 | Doing Business in Connecticut XX A Growing Epidemic Our country — and more specifically, our community — has seen a devastating uptick in opioid-related deaths over the past few years. As a community health network, ECHN recognized its duty in combating this epidemic by providing treatment and support to local families beyond the walls of its hospitals. As part of this approach, ECHN provides intensive outpatient programs that are best suited for individuals who have completed or do not need partial hospital program care. These programs include treatment for behavioral health issues such as opioid dependence. ECHN's Opioid Addiction Therapy Program focuses on creating a positive and supportive environment for patients and their families while patients undergo Suboxone ® treatment. Suboxone ® is a drug that alleviates many symptoms of withdrawal while keeping cravings at bay. Its active ingredients, buprenorphine and naloxone, provide relief without causing a euphoric high and allow patients to focus on their recovery. "Addiction can be devastating, causing those affected to lose their jobs, their families, and their lives," added Dr. Qureshi. "Our main goal is to reassure those who are suffering that there is hope within the heart of the community. At ECHN, we have trained Addiction Specialists as well as both in– patient and out-patient programs to best fit the needs of the individual and their family." An Aging Population As the age of the general population skews older, geriatric behavioral health issues grow. In 2015, the state of Connecticut commissioned a study to research the needs of older adults with behavioral health and substance abuse disorders. The results were somewhat predictable: they found Geriatric Behavioral Health represented a real need for more services in Connecticut. At the time of the report, many Connecticut hospitals were not ready to truly address the needs of the aging population. One major factor was the lack of providers - Connecticut had one mental health provider for every 310 Connecticut residents up from one per 300 residents the year prior. (Source: Mental Health in America, 2018 Report). ECHN responded to this community need with a seven-figure investment and extensive renovations in order to build the Geriatric Behavioral Care Center at Manchester Memorial Hospital. Opened in 2018, the unit currently houses 16 beds, with plans to expand to 22 beds in the near future. Having a dedicated, stand-alone unit is crucial in treating geriatric patients suffering from behavioral health disorders such as dementia, severe depression, anxiety or bipolar disorder. It helps to isolate and calm patients, allowing inpatient therapy and services to be administered in a serene environment. "Older adults are very different from the rest of the population. They prefer a quieter, less active environment, among other needs," said Qureshi, "We know that by providing these patients with a unit dedicated specifically to the geriatric population of 55 and older, they are more responsive to treatment, and we see better outcomes." 9.6 MILLION EXPERIENCE SUICIDAL IDEATION SUFFER NATIONALLY FROM MENTAL HEALTH & SUBSTANCE USE CONDITIONS 43 MILLION PEOPLE HIGH ACCESS TO CARE AND LOWER PREVALENCE OF MENTAL ILLNESS 5 TH IN USA CT RANKED NEARLY HALF OF THE POPULATION HAS A CO-OCCURRING SUBSTANCE ABUSE DISORDER 18 % OF ADULTS HAVE A MENTAL ILLNESS SOURCE: Nguyen, Theresa, et al. State of Mental Health in America 2018, Mental Health America 2017. www.mental- healthamerica.net/issues/state-mental-health-america. "Our main goal is to reassure those who are suffering that there is hope within the heart of the community." SPONSOR REPORT