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Substance use disorder (SUD) affects millions of people in the U.S., including a disproportionate share of Medicaid members. About 21 percent of Medicaid members are estimated to have an SUD, and many face barriers to evidence-based treatments due to limited service capacity, stigma, and fragmented systems.  A “no wrong door” approach to substance use care helps address these gaps by ensuring that Medicaid members can connect to appropriate treatment through any entry point — whether emergency response, correctional settings, primary care, or community-based services.

In this webinar, speakers shared innovations underway in their organizations and states, including integrating medications for addiction treatment into emergency response, strengthening care connections for people returning to the community from correctional settings, expanding SUD support for rural and unhoused populations, and incorporating SUD care into primary care settings through a nurse-led model.

Agenda

I. Welcome and Overview

Speaker: Meryl Schulman, Senior Program Officer, CHCS

M. Schulman welcomed participants and outlined the importance of integrated, low-barrier approaches to SUD care.

II. Panel – No Wrong Door Approaches: Emerging Innovations

Moderator: M. Schulman

M. Schulman led a discussion with the three panelists, who provided overviews of their SUD approaches. Audience questions were addressed throughout the discussion.

Panelists:

• Courtney Pladsen, DNP, FNP, FAANP, Chief Medical Officer, MaineCare (Maine Medicaid)
  • C. Pladsen outlined MaineCare’s ongoing work on MAT in correctional settings, plus experience in unhoused population clinic work, and considerations for providing SUD care in rural settings.

• Justin Alves, MSN, FNP-BC, ACRN, CARN, CNE, Addiction Educator, Grayken Center for Addiction Training and Treatment at Boston Medical Center
  • J. Alves reviewed BMC’s approach to addiction treatment, highlighting how its nurse care manager model supports whole-person, integrated SUD care across settings.

• Rachel Haroz, MD, Medical Director, Cooper Center for Healing, and Principal Investigator, Southern New Jersey Medication for Addiction Treatment Center of Excellence
  • R. Haroz described New Jersey’s approach to implementing MAT in emergency settings, including the state’s new EMS buprenorphine program, focusing on scaling the program and early progress.

III. Closing