A statewide helpline assists Indiana practitioners to find appropriate treatment for youth with substance use disorders ages 17 or younger
Medical practitioners serving youth may not be familiar with best practices in treating adolescent opioid use disorder (OUD) or which nearby treatment facilities offer appropriate, state-of-the-art care. To increase rapid access to quality OUD treatment for youth, the Indiana School of Medicine's Department of Psychiatry initiated the free statewide Adolescent Addiction Access (AAA) program which connects practitioners with experts in addiction medicine for consultation on diagnosis and treatment options. AAA has its own telehealth psychotherapy services and can assist with referrals to community-based addiction resources and supports.
In addition to assisting with diagnosing substance use disorders, key questions staff can answer are:
1) What medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) and doses are appropriate for youth?
2) What level of care is appropriate (e.g., residential, outpatient, or telehealth)?
3) What sort of ongoing treatment plan or follow-up is appropriate?
The program is funded by Indiana's Division of Mental Health and Addiction. A slide presentation about AAA is here, and contact information for the program is here.
Increasing the capacity to initiate medication for opioid use disorder through consultation and direct care is a promising approach for preventing overdose deaths among youths.