Substance Misuse
A review and summary of Rural Health Scholar research that addresses issues of substance misuse on Martha's Vineyard.
General Scholar Observations
- Dukes County slightly edged out the state of MA on the percentage of the population prescribed an opioid drug between 2009 and 2014 (14 →17%), 2016 RHS Presentation
- There's ~1,450 individuals dealing with SUD on MV, 66% alcohol and 33% drugs with significant overlap, 2016 RHS Presentation
- Currently 200 – 250 people use SUD treatment services, 2016 RHS Presentation
- SUD related ED visits steadily rose from 2010 to 2015, ended at 10% of total visits, 2016 RHS Presentation
- People with SUD are more likely to need food assistance, 2012 RHS Presentation
- There were 46 total SUD related deaths from 2010 – 2015, 28 from alcohol, 2016 RHS Presentation
- The wait list for SUD recovery services tends to spike in the summer months, 2016 RHS Presentation
Scholar Recommendations
- Recommended screening with EPIC EMR screening tool for ED visits plus the drugabuse.gov tool for primary care visits, schools can use SBIRT, 2016 RHS Presentation
- Recommended recruit an addiction specialist to manage long-term care, 2016 RHS Presentation ‡
- Recommended use warm hand offs to bridge gaps, ED → MVCS, Detox → Recovery Coach, Police Dept. → Behavioral Health, 2016 RHS Presentation ‡
Summary of the Community's response so far Island Health Care has started a Community Health Worker (CHW) and Peer Recovery Coach program to assist with recovery and navigation of the SUD-related health services on and off-Island.
Through the CHW and Peer Recovery Coach program, warm hand offs are starting to happen between the various care organizations.
(Updated 6.17.2022)
SUD among Youth & Young Adults
Scholar Observations
- Presence of marijuana and alcohol use among high school students at rates higher than the rest of MA, 2009 RHS Presentation
- Youth need a robust intervention program at the school level, 2016 RHS Presentation
- Appoint a point person solely for youth SUD needs
- Bars become a go-to for socialization for 21+ crowd with few to no alternatives, 2021 RHS Presentation
- SUD rates have surged among the 16-26 age group in recent years, 2021 RHS Presentation
- There’s an over-reliance on school guidance counselors to spot SUD signs among youth, 2021 RHS Presentation
Scholar Recommendations
- N/A
Summary of the Commuity's response so far
No updates to share at this time (Updated 6.17.2022)
SUD among Elders
Scholar Observations
- Alcohol is the leading SUD issue among the Island’s elderly population, 2011 RHS Presentation
- Drug seeking behavior among the elderly also cited by care providers, 2011 RHS Presentation
Scholar Recommendations
- N/A
Summary of the Community's response so far
No updates at this time (Updated 6.17.2022)
SUD Recovery
Scholar Observations
- Community support is vital for a successful recovery, 2016 RHS Presentation
- Also finding a higher power/religion was a core component to many recovery stories
- Key is “providing hope without expectation”
- Entities are putting in effort to reach people sooner – it’s about reducing harm, not abstinence, 2016 RHS Presentation
- Efforts that are working – community engagement, MVCS, Vineyard House, AA, NA, AI-Anon, Suboxone groups, and contentious prescribing, 2016 RHS Presentation
Scholar Recommendations
- Recommended motivational interviewing - you need to meet them where they’re at, 2016 RHS Presentation
Summary of the Community's response so far
Motivational interviewing is a foundational component of IHC's Peer Recovery Coach (PRC) Program. The PRCs began working in the community in 2019.