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Davis Behavioral Health Gets $1M To Fight Opioid Abuse
By JAMIE LAMPROS--FRIDAY , FEBRUARY 27, 2015 - 12:31 PM
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"Utah hospital discharge data through 2012 showing prescription deaths and overdoses. "



LAYTON — Davis Behavioral Health received a $1 million donation from Intermountain Healthcare to help address the opioid addiction epidemic in Davis and Weber counties over the next three years.

Brandon Hatch, CEO of Davis Behavioral Health, said the money will be used toward public awareness campaigns, provider education and treatment of prescription opiate addiction.

Since 2002, prescription pain medications have caused more drug deaths in Utah than all other drug categories, including illicit drugs, and sales of the medications have quadrupled.

“Utah ranks fifth in the country for prescription drug abuse and Weber and Davis counties have experienced high rates of unintentional overdose deaths and prescription drug abuse,” Hatch said. “In Davis County, women ages 45 to 54 are facing high rates of prescription opioid abuse, while prescription drug misuse appears to be more common among young, homeless men in Weber County.”

Statistics show a higher rate of usage in Davis County, but a higher rate of death in Weber County, due to prescription drug abuse. The Utah Violence and Injury Prevention Program shows in the past decade, Utah has experienced a more than 400 percent increase in deaths associated with misuse and abuse of prescription drugs, making the medications one of the leading causes of injury deaths in the state. Downtown Ogden has the third highest rate of prescription pain medication overdoses in Utah.

The Utah Department of Health reports since 2002, prescription pain medications have been responsible for more drug deaths in Utah than all other drug categories, such as anti-anxiety medications, over-the-counter medications, or illicit drugs. Deaths from oxycodone drugs (either alone or in combination with other drugs), such as Oxycontin and Percocet, accounted for 52.8 percent of all prescription pain medication deaths in 2012. Methadone was second at 21.6 percent.

As part of the public/private partnership with the Utah Pharmaceutical Drug Community Project, three areas will be addressed through a public awareness using the “Use As Directed “campaign, provider education for IHC providers and medication treatment, therapy and case management. The UseOnlyAsDirected campaign launched on Feb. 20 and improved access to treatment will begin July 1.

“This partnership is an opportunity to have a sustainable solution,” said Mikelle Moore, vice president of Community Benefit at Intermountain Healthcare. “Davis Behavioral Health leadership, as well as leadership from our Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health, expressed their excitement for this unique opportunity to partner and expand access to treatment.”

Tim Pehrson, McKay-Dee Hospital CEO and regional vice president of Intermountain Urban North Region, said the partnership is in line with IHC’s mission statement of healthy people live the healthiest lives possible.

“We are a part of these communities and act in the best interest of the community,” said Pehrson.






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