Guiding plan members with substance abuse issues to the appropriate network treatment resources has long been a challenge. As if taking the important step of seeking treatment isn’t difficult enough, rapidly identifying the right local resource with available capacity tends to complicate the issue.
A lack of available information, coupled with a sense of urgency, often results in members selecting costly out-of-network treatment options. But thanks to a few new online resources, that problem could be a thing of the past.
Primarily focused on Northeast Ohio, DrugHelp.Care is an innovative, new searchable database of treatment centers that was created by a team from Cleveland State University. The site is an excellent tool serving individuals looking for help with addiction — especially because it includes current information on each facility’s availability to take on new patients. To identify the best fit, search criteria includes personal preferences (gender, non-smoking, age-specific), accommodations, medical assisted treatment options, and type of intervention.
Another great resource is The Emerald Jenny Foundation. It offers a searchable, statewide online database for those seeking treatment and other resources for opioid addiction in Ohio. Compiled one person, one group at a time, it includes a combined total of more than 1,000 rehabilitation and treatment facilities, health care providers, counselors and other organizations that serve people who are struggling with addiction.
While each of these new resources can stand on its own merits, the pair may prove even more powerful when used in tandem and alongside a listing of in-network facilities.