I wanted to know how effectively Opioid Overdose treatment, and tracking coincide with enrollment into Medicaid Programs with treatment and tracking of clinical effectiveness. This would be between the ages of 16-55, in Massachusetts in particular. There isn t any current statistical data tracking or supporting the prevalance of Opioid Overdoses in regards to race, socio-economic status to identify where treatment is most needed.

I attended a Health Policy Commission Meeting and Massachusetts on September 7,2016 about the Opioid Crisis. They presented outdated, limited research that gave data relative to admissions, due to Opiod Overdoses in different urban, and suburban areas of Massachusetts. There was an alarming Overdose Rate in the Berkshires in Mass, with no mention of follow-up, treatment, aftercare. There was only mention of methadone, and suboxone clinics in the city, where they think they maybe following up. After, overdoses, the care, treatment isn t tracked, followed, and is fleeting.

Well, not only is this overtly overlooked, it s a waste of Medicaid dollars.

Opioid, Heroin addicts aren t being counted, and cared for effectively. The Boston Common for example. Hundreds of Heroin addicts line up the park benches, stores, restaurants, stoops of steps. They are there, but not accounted for. I mean you don t have to look far to track them, and identify their needs, before they overdose. How can you capture this group, and identify them, and their demographics. The funding is there, however, no one wants to do the work. I guess it s a health stigma, taboo, etc to be addicted. This reminds me of the Crack epidemic that plagued the inner city mostly. That was almost branded, and shown on television daily, with the drug addicted babies as well. That was a horrible time. Is it illegal for me a Registered Nurse to get a name, number, and past address of every addict I come across a day, and report it to where, AHRQ. I want to see it your agency can properly research for evidence based, effective outcomes.

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