(Newswire.net — September 26, 2017) — Matrix Institute on Addictions is one of only two Los Angeles County addiction treatment providers to receive part of a two-year, $90 million federal grant awarded to the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to participate in the state’s new “Hub and Spoke” plan to fight the growing opioid crisis and prevent overdose deaths. Matrix Institute has been awarded $2.4 million to serve as one of 19 program “hubs” across the state.
Created to systemically deliver effective treatments for opioid addiction statewide – particularly in counties and communities with the highest rates of opioid-related overdose deaths, the Hub and Spoke approach is fashioned after a model that has shown success in other states.
“Opioid Treatment Programs that offer Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) – both methadone and buprenorphine, better known under its trade name, Suboxone – are at the nexus of the system,” explained Matrix Institute’s Chief Executive Officer Jeremy Martinez, M.D. “Medication Assisted Treatment is by far the most effective treatment for opioid addiction, with reductions in related overdose deaths – but a heavy stigma persists, especially for methadone. To its credit, the State of California recognizes the importance of these medications for opioid treatment and has embraced them, regardless of stigma.
“Through this network of 19 hubs, each with its own respective ‘spokes’, California has boldly set a goal to provide MAT treatment for 20,000 additional people suffering from opioid addiction over the next two years.” Martinez added. “We’re confident this proven model will greatly improve access to care and better engage opioid users in effective treatments along with other vital support services.”
As a Los Angeles County program hub, Matrix Institute’s Narcotic Treatment Program (NTP) is partnering with medical practices and other substance use disorder providers to deliver these life-saving services locally.
“Matrix Institute is honored to have been selected as one of two providers in Los Angeles County tasked to create a Hub and Spoke system to address the opioid epidemic plaguing California and the rest of the United States. We are excited and eager to join the statewide effort in educating local communities regarding opioid use disorders and improving access to Medication Assisted Treatment,” noted Dan George, Matrix Institute’s Director of Operations.
About Matrix Institute on Addictions
Matrix Institute on Addictions is a nonprofit organization that has been providing intensive alcohol and drug outpatient treatment in the Greater Los Angeles Area for more than 30 years. It currently has four locations serving the region, including West Los Angeles, San Fernando Valley, the Inland Empire and its Los Angeles Opioid Treatment center. The acclaimed “Matrix Model of Intensive Outpatient Alcohol & Drug Treatment Program,” a comprehensive, organized set of evidenced-based interventions that integrates cognitive behavioral therapy, relapse prevention, contingency management, motivational interviewing, 12-step facilitation, family involvement and education as well as other elements to give patients the skills and understanding needed for ongoing recovery, is recognized globally as one of the most effective, evidence-based outpatient alcohol and substance abuse treatment programs. More information about Matrix is available at http://www.matrixinstitute.org/.