WISCONSIN — Group Health Cooperative of South Central Wisconsin opened its Pathways to Recovery program at the beginning of July.
It’s designed to provide customized care for people with substance use disorder.
“We’re really here to walk with patients through that whole journey,” said Dr. Erin Trost, medical director of substance use disorders for GHC-SCW.
Trost said patients receive care based on their history of substance use. Some patients may need only a few meetings before returning to care with a therapist, psychiatrist, or primary care provider, while others may stay with the program longer.
“Substance use disorder for some people is a chronic condition,” Trost said.
James LeClair, director of behavioral health for GHC-SCW, said the program is intended to improve access to care at a time when finding treatment has become more difficult.
“I think access to care has been a struggle, and I think it’s only gotten worse over the last five or six years, especially post-pandemic,” LeClair said. “When programs like Pathways open up and provide additional access to care, it helps to get patients in in a much quicker fashion.”
LeClair said quicker treatment can help patients avoid needing higher levels of care. It can also allow them to receive support where they are.
So far, the program has 50 patients receiving treatment and 120 referrals.
“We’re hoping for a bigger program. We’re hoping to help more people,” Trost said. “Really, we’re looking forward to having people meet their goals, being able to walk them out the door for the last time, return them to primary care, behavioral health and tell them they’re welcome back anytime.”
Source: spectrumnews1.com
