'Behind the Blue': Online tool helps people in recovery find housing
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Oct. 30, 2023) — In 2018, the Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center (KIPRC), launched FindHelpNowKY.org, a website that provides a near real-time treatment opening locator for substance use disorders.
The locator guides individuals to available treatment openings. It takes into consideration the substance(s) being used, payment options including commercial and public insurance programs, gender identity, preference for inpatient or outpatient treatment and needed co-occurring treatments such as mental health care, plus 30 more criteria.
The site provides daily availability information for treatment openings, to enable rapid admission to addiction programs.
One of the biggest barriers to accessing treatment for substance use disorders can be the time it takes to find an open space in a treatment facility. By the time a clinician, family member or patient can find the right facility for their needs and navigate the insurance process, the bed in question may have been filled or the window of opportunity for recovery may have passed.
Based on the success of FindHelpNowKY.org, the team has expanded their offerings to a new site. After recognizing the need that many patients have for stable and secure housing during the recovery process, FindRecoveryHousingNowKY.org has launched to provide a guided search tool to help overcome barriers for people seeking treatment or recovery housing.
On this episode of "Behind the Blue," Leah Dick and Catherine Hines, research project managers with FindHelpNowKY.org, discuss the success the program has had since its inception, the growth it is experiencing with expansion into recovery housing assistance, and how the program is moving into the future as a leader for other states looking to model their efforts.
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