The Indiana Family and Social Services Administrations will add five opioid treatment programs in Indiana, one of which will be in Monroe County.
The new OTPs are part of the FSSA's effort to fight the drug epidemic in Indiana, according to an FSSA press release.
Insurance coverage for OTP services will also increase. Most Indiana Medicaid members and all Healthy Indiana Plan members will be covered for all OTP services beginning Aug. 1. Methadone for substance use disorder will also be covered.
Sycamore Springs, a hospital located in Lafayette, will open an outpatient OTP in Monroe County that offer access to medically-assisted treatment services, therapy and related addiction support services, according to the press release.
Allen, Johnson, Vigo and Tippecanoe Counties will also receive new OTPs.
“Adding five opioid treatment programs to the 14 that currently serve Hoosiers will add considerable capacity to a network of programs that treated more than 10,000 Hoosiers in 2016,” Jennifer Walthall, the FSSA secretary said. “Adding Medicaid and HIP coverage of medication assisted treatment will remove a significant barrier to treatment for those seeking to improve their lives.”
In deciding the locations for the new treatment centers, the FSSA reviewed locations of recent overdose deaths, drug-seizure data from law enforcement and data from hospital emergency.
“The five new OTPs have been strategically placed in locations around our state to assist with reducing driving time for individuals in need of addiction treatment for opioid use disorder and sited in or near counties with high numbers of naloxone use,” Walthall said in the press release.
The number of opioid-related drug overdose deaths in Indiana increased from 283 in 2010 to 529 in 2015. The national age-adjusted rate of opioid-related drug overdose deaths also increased by 14 percent, according to the Indiana State Department of Health website.
Emily Eckelbarger
