Recovery coach services provided in the emergency department and the neonatal abstinence syndrome unit of a rural state
West Virginia has been hit the hardest by the opioid crisis. Recovery Point West Virginia (RPWV) is a nonprofit organization that provides recovery services to individuals at no cost throughout the state. In addition to having several locations across West Virginia that offer short-term and long-term recovery services, the program received a grant in 2018 to begin providing recovery coaching in emergency departments and neonatal abstinence syndrome units.
Innovative recovery coach services include:
- Emergency department (ED) - respond to overdoses by assisting individuals with their next steps towards recovery, such as entry into a treatment program, finding temporary housing, or obtaining clothing and other basic needs
- Neonatal abstinence syndrome units - identify parents appropriate for referral to the program, which includes the same services provided in the ED as well as parent-focused services for up to two years
- Data collection and analysis - RPWV keeps detailed demographic and outcome data for Medicaid billing, grant reporting, and evaluation purposes
All recovery coaches for RPWV have lived experience and are trained to support all pathways of recovery, recognizing that individuals have different treatment and recovery needs.
More information can be found in this report that highlights the program on page 7.