People with substance use disorders (SUD) who receive peer support services after an acute care episode are shown to reduce acute care use and improve engagement in community-based services.

Background

People with SUD often face significant challenges navigating the behavioral health care system and are at higher risk for repeated hospitalizations. This study analyzed Medicaid claims data from Pennsylvania between 2016 and 2019 to evaluate the impact of peer support services for adults with SUD following a SUD-related hospitalization or withdrawal management visit.

Findings

The study compared people with SUD who received peer support services following an SUD hospitalization to others in a behavioral health managed care network who received outpatient SUD services without peer support. Those who received peer support were more engaged in outpatient SUD treatment, used fewer acute inpatient services, and had stronger linkages to community-based resources.

Program/Policy Takeaways

This study demonstrates that inclusion of peer supports during an emergency room visit can reduce future hospitalizations and improve access to community-based SUD services. Providers can consider embedding peers throughout the SUD care continuum, including expanding post-hospitalization peer services, to sustain recovery and prevent costly readmissions.