CLEVELAND, Ohio, October 24, 2019 – Thrive Behavioral Health Center has announced the expansion of its Thrive ED program to 10 additional hospital emergency rooms throughout Cuyahoga County, made possible with funds awarded from $61 million in settlements against manufacturers, distributors and individuals who were instrumental in advancing the county’s devastating opioid epidemic. Currently providing peer support services in just three emergency rooms – two in Cuyahoga County and one in Franklin County – this expansion represents a significant step in the fight to combat the catastrophic opioid crisis impacting the state.
The new funding for Thrive Behavioral Health Center was announced by County Executive Armond Budish and County Council President Dan Brady as part of Phase One of the Cuyahoga County Opioid Crisis Mitigation Plan. To date, $23 million has been secured specifically for Cuyahoga County, with Summit County also receiving funds as part of the settlements. The money will allow the County to start distributing funds to vital agencies that will help alleviate the opioid epidemic through prevention, treatment and recovery. Thrive Behavioral Health Center will receive $3 million of the settlements, with the balance of funds going towards the Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services (ADAMHS) Board; St. Vincent Charity’s Rosary Hall; MetroHealth; Sobriety, Treatment and Recovery Teams (START) Program; and a new Cuyahoga County diversion program that will allow low-level drug offenders to seek support and recovery services.
“The settlement funds being allocated to our Thrive ED program represent a monumental increase in the services we are able to provide,” said COO Bridgette Lewis. “Our goal is to reduce emergency room visits and increase the likelihood of patients enjoying long term recovery. The institutions that helped create this horrific opioid crisis have been held accountable, and it’s now our job to utilize these funds in the most effective way possible.”
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The money being distributed to the Thrive ED program will provide opioid overdose survivors with immediate access to resources for withdrawal management, treatment, medication-assisted treatment and additional recovery resources. Thrive ED was launched in 2017 in partnership with MetroHealth, and initially funded by a federal CURES grant received through the Cuyahoga County ADAMHS Board. Thrive ED utilizes certified peer recovery supporters who are available 24/7 to provide immediate assistance to patients. In its first year alone, the program assisted more than 1,200 peers and entered 300 people into detox or other immediate treatment programs. In addition, Thrive ED assists families with pertinent information to help them heal emotionally. The $3 million in new funding will allow Thrive ED to expand to 10 additional emergency rooms in the county, including those operated by the Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals.
“We’re eager to quickly become operational in these new locations,” said CEO Brian Bailys. “Thousands of Cuyahoga County residents have died from overdoses, including 441 this year alone. It’s time to restore hope and help our peers succeed with long-term recovery.”
Additional information about Thrive Behavioral Health Center can be found online at https://thrivepeersupport.com. Further details about the Cuyahoga County Opioid Crisis Mitigation Plan can be found online at http://executive.cuyahogacounty.us/.
