Originally published on www.rimrock.org >>
April 30, 2020 | by Rimrock Staff
Receiving treatment and support for mental health issues and substance use disorder (SUD) can be challenging in rural areas. To help people living in eastern Montana, the clinical teams of Rimrock and Eastern Montana Community Mental Health Center (EMCMHC) are collaborating with local primary care providers in eastern Montana to identify patients who would benefit from support and treatment for mental health or substance use issues. Along with an entire continuum of services from detox to inpatient, short-term and long-term residential and outpatient services available to those in need in eastern Montana, Peer Support and Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) are two important new services available to help patients in rural areas work towards recovery.
Peer Support. Peer Support Specialists are people with a shared lived experience of addiction and mental health challenges who can provide those struggling with SUD with guidance and knowledge they have earned by going through similar situations and coming out the other side. Peer Support Specialists put clients at ease knowing that they’re talking to somebody who’s been there and who understands what they’re going through. Our Peer Support Specialists have been where people in active addiction and in recovery currently find themselves and can help them navigate through challenges and celebrate success in a healthy way. By sharing their stories of addiction and recovery, Peer Support Specialists help others open up and share their own stories, which is an important step in recovery.
Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT). Substance use disorder (SUD) is a chronic illness and needs to be treated as such. With a chronic illness, the goal is not a cure; it’s about creating an individualized treatment plan to best manage the illness. Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) is one option for those who struggle with SUD. MAT involves prescribing medications to help patients facing opioid and alcohol addiction in conjunction with a treatment plan that includes counseling and behavior therapy.
Those struggling with substance use disorder are often faced with increased exposure to criminal activity, risk for infectious disease and difficulty maintaining employment. By providing MAT as a treatment option, we can help patients achieve a life that is balanced and decreases their risk factors. As each individual is helped, so are their families and their communities, which makes Montana a healthier and safer place for everyone. MAT provides lifesaving benefits including decreasing the risk of overdose and creating a foundation for managing the chronic illness of substance use disorder. MAT is administered in conjunction with counseling and behavior therapies to provide patients with the tools they need to work towards a successful recovery.
Through the partnership between Rimrock and EMCMHC, patients can more easily have their specific needs evaluated to develop a unique treatment plan that will address those needs, giving them a second chance and offering the gift of improving their quality of life. If you or someone you know can benefit from this support, please complete our online request form or call us for help at (406) 248-3175 or (800) 227-3953. Normal admission hours are between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm Mountain Time, Monday through Friday. However, staff is available to take your call 24/7.
