Garfield County has been working with an ill-equipped system for first responders who respond to substance use episodes. At present, EMS staff and law enforcement use hospital emergency rooms as their primary option.
Once constructed, the Glenwood Springs Withdrawal Management facility will this critical gap in Garfield County and the Roaring Fork Valley within the continuum of care for treatment and recovery.
A Community Driven Solution
The need for a withdrawal management setting has been an identified need in Garfield County for over a decade, funding and location have been the only previous barriers. The next step in ensuring the success of this project is securing full funding for the project.
The Glenwood Springs withdrawal management facility is completely community driven and lifted. There is a clear understanding among Garfield County stakeholders that substance use disorder (SUD) treatment solutions will be successful only if it is community driven.
Local stakeholders began meeting in 2019 to explore options for bringing withdrawal management to Garfield County,
which had not existed for over 13 years. The stakeholder group included all Garfield County municipalities, law enforcement, public health, area hospitals, human service agencies, concerned citizens, and individuals with lived
experience in recovery from substance use disorder (SUD).
As a trusted community partner in behavioral health services, Mind Springs Health was asked by community partners to house and operate the withdrawal management program.
Garfield County stakeholders have worked intensively to design a withdrawal management setting that supports the full continuum of care and will position clients to connect with services that are most appropriate for their individual needs after discharge.
A Critical Community Need
The facility will be constructed in additional space in Mind Springs Health Glenwood Springs outpatient office. Construction will create 8 client beds with 24/7, same day access to services including direct access for EMS and law enforcement to deliver clients to services.
Applicable data confirms the prevalence of substance use disorder (SUD) has increased to crisis levels in Colorado, and in each municipality and unincorporated area within Garfield County, despite having relatively low rural populations.
The most salient data to understand the need for withdrawal management service is data from area hospital emergency departments. Valley View Hospital and Grand River Hospital District captured substance use data from emergency departments to the best of their ability to better understand the service needs.
- 75% of substance-related emergency room admissions were related to alcohol, 8% were polysubstance, 8% were methamphetamines, and 5% were opioids/heroin.
- 57% of substance-related emergency room admissions were referred directly from EMS, 2% law enforcement, 34% self-referrals, 2% family, 1% primary care providers.
The facility was elevated to a medically managed withdrawal management (MMWM) setting for alcohol and other substances, which takes responsibility off hospitals for medical clearance.
- Medically managed withdrawal management is the best practice for alcohol withdrawal management. Alcohol withdrawal can result in seizures or death.
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HOW CAN I HELP?
We need you to help make this community solution work! Make a gift now, or to make a pledge or stock donation, please contact Laura Brown at 970.683.7247 or lbrown@mindspringsfoundation.org.
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