Substance Use Disorders

Baystate Health has a number of programs and initiatives to help patients suffering from substance use disorders.

Recovery Coaches

Baystate Wing Hospital provides substance use disorder services for those seeking services from the emergency department.

In partnership with Behavioral Health Network, we have recovery coaches with lived experience who help patients access services and identify the impact of substance use on their life. We also induce patients who would like medication assisted treatment with Suboxone on our inpatient unit and connect them with our outpatient clinic.

Baystate Noble Hospital Opiate Task Force

The BNH Opiate Task Force works with ED and Case Management provide follow-up calls to patients who were brought into the Emergency Department after an overdose. While in the ED, patients are stabilized and offered a SUDE (Substance Use Disorder Evaluation) through the crisis team.

ED doctors can prescribe Suboxone, so patients can begin medication assisted treatment upon leaving the ED. Patients can follow up with a local medication assisted treatment clinic. ED patients who overdose are offered free Narcan kits to take home and taught how to use Narcan. Task Force members provide support and share information about a resources such as counseling, AA/NA meetings, recovery coaching, detox programs, intensive outpatient programs, and medication assisted treatment.

EMPOWER Program

The EMPOWER program at Baystate Franklin Medical Center is designed to help pregnant women with opioid use disorder (OUD) or history of overdose have healthy babies and pursue healthier futures. This program currently serves approximately 30 women and families in Franklin County each year.

It is a community-based program, created by the Franklin County Perinatal Support Coalition, to provide support and resources for women with OUD which promote healthy pregnancy and birth, provide parenting support and encourage long-term recovery.

Hampden County Municipal First Responder Narcan Program

Baystate Health works with Hampden County, Trinity Health of New England, and The Center for Human Development to be used to provide Narcan to participating municipal police and fire departments throughout Hampden County.

Dr. Peter Friedmann, chief research officer and co-chair of the Addiction Task Force at Baystate Health, cited there are over 200 overdose deaths daily across the country. This results in about 72,000 deaths per year.