Human services secretary lauds Clinical Outcomes special designation

Oct. 14--The secretary of the state Department of Human Services stopped by Clinical Outcomes Group Inc., Pottsville, on Thursday to congratulate the group on their designation as a Center of Excellence.

"We want that center of excellence to promote a comprehensive approach," Ted Dallas, human services secretary, said.

A Center of Excellence is one that will treat opioid-related disorders. To date, 45 have been approved.

When looking for those that would be chosen, Dallas said several factors were examined. They included organizations that were focused on providing care for different issues people were having, where they were located in terms of relation to population centers and those who had a familiarity with addressing such drug issues.

"Thank you for the work you are doing," he said.

He spoke about how some people on Medicaid don't get the treatment they need. He hopes these COE will reduce that.

Data will be provided to the state Department of Human Services for those on Medicaid. Those with private insurance can also use the services.

Organizations interested in being considered as a COE had to submit a grant application. In all, 114 grant applications were submitted.

"This was rated as one of the best in the entire commonwealth," Dallas told the group in attendance that included Alicia Fleischut, executive director of Clinical Outcomes Group Inc., several employees, Jason Snyder, special assistant to the secretary of the department of human services, Schuylkill County Commissioner Gary Hess, Christine Verdier, chief of staff for state Sen. David Argall, R-29, and Melissa Chewey, administrator of Schuylkill County Drug and Alcohol Program.

The 20 original Centers of Excellence were selected earlier this year. They each received grant funding of $500,000. The other 25 were announced in August. A total of $20.4 million is available. Not all of the COE announced in August are up and running. Clinical Outcomes did not receive the $500,000 in funding yet.

"The Department's goal is to provide all Pennsylvanians with treatment that addresses not only their substance abuse use disorder but also the underlying physical and behavioral health issues," Dallas said in a previous release.

He went on to say addressing the underlying causes as to what caused people to do what they do is crucial.

"If we don't get to that root cause of what is fueling their substance abuse disorder, you can detox them as many times as you want but the chances that they are going to be successful go down," he said.

About 10,000 people will be held with these 45 Centers of Excellence, Dallas said.

Fleischut said Clinical Outcomes Group were honored to receive the funding.

"We are really excited about this opportunity," she said.

She wrote the grant along with another individual with Clinical Outcomes. Clinical Outcomes serves about 300 people presently. Of these, 200 are in suboxone treatment and the other in regular outpatient treatment. There are nine counselors, three case managers and two doctors on staff.

The grant funding will enable Clinical Outcomes to hire four or five case managers to reach out to the community and those most in need of help. It could be as simple as a phone call to someone in need or providing transportation to an appointment.

"Our philosophy has always been about treating the whole person," Fleischut said.

While the Centers of Excellence have a role in helping people get better, changing the perception of those who suffer with addiction is just as important if not more so is "breaking down the stigma. This is a health problem. This is not someone's moral failing," Dallas said.

Hess said Clinical Outcomes does good work in the community. Still, he said the drug issue in the county has to change.

"The problem here in Schuylkill County is a huge one," Hess said.

The designation provides "a leg up, another hand to reach people out there."

As of Thursday, Schuylkill County Deputy Corner Deb Detweiler, said 64 people died of drug-related causes this year in the county.

___

(c)2016 the Republican & Herald (Pottsville, Pa.)

Visit the Republican & Herald (Pottsville, Pa.) at republicanherald.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.