{"id":31987,"date":"2022-04-21T16:17:29","date_gmt":"2022-04-21T20:17:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/?p=31987"},"modified":"2022-04-21T16:17:29","modified_gmt":"2022-04-21T20:17:29","slug":"genesee-orleans-counties-gcasa-expands-access-to-treatment-through-integration-of-services","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2022\/04\/21\/genesee-orleans-counties-gcasa-expands-access-to-treatment-through-integration-of-services\/","title":{"rendered":"GENESEE\/ORLEANS COUNTIES\/GCASA expands access to treatment through integration of services"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"
From left \u2013 Holly Main, assistant director; Kathy Hodgins, chief clinical officer; Danielle Ludeke, integrated clinic director, at Genesee\/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Press release<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Mike Pettinella
GCASA Publicist<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By integrating the opioid treatment program and outpatient counseling clinic, Genesee\/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse has connected the care warranted in a society dealing with the effects of a global pandemic and the stress caused by economic uncertainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHere at GCASA and, hopefully, at other agencies in the behavioral health field, we take a person-centered approach, and medication and treatment go hand-in-hand,\u201d said Kathy Hodgins, chief clinical officer at the nonprofit agency based on East Main Street in Batavia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The medication prescribed to a person struggling with substance abuse disorder, whether it be suboxone or methadone, is going to help with the physical symptoms, Hodgins said, while counseling with GCASA trained clinicians is important in unlocking changes in behavior.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s the same with a medical condition, such as diabetes and heart disease. You can give a medication to lower blood pressure, but it’s not going to be as effective if you do not have a change in lifestyle to go along with it,\u201d she added. \u201cWe give them the tools, not just medication, to learn how to cope with anxiety, depression and trauma without using illicit drugs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The OTP (or methadone) clinic attached to the back of the main building opened in the fall of 2018 as a \u201cstandalone\u201d clinic.  Hodgins said GCASA recently applied for \u2013 and received \u2013 a license to integrate the OTP clinic with the outpatient clinic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cUntil now, individuals receiving treatment at the OTP clinic could only participate in services offered through the OTP clinic.  This really limited treatment options for individuals in the OTP,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

STAFFING FLEXIBILITY IS PARAMOUNT<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the integration, GCASA has been able to optimize the utilization of its medical professionals and counselors, she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis really allows our counselors to help our patients at the OTP and outpatient clinic by providing a more person-centered approach to care \u2013 regardless of whether the individual is on suboxone or methadone. Patients can now attend groups and individual sessions that fit their individual recovery plan and needs,\u201d she explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shannon Murphy, director of Treatment at the Batavia clinic, said the integration has additionally resulted in scheduling flexibility for the staff, something of utmost importance in light that about 10 full-time counselors are providing services to around 240 patients in OTP and another 220 or so in the outpatient clinic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The demand for services has gone up considerably in the past two years, she said, referring to the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on those at risk of a reoccurrence as well as other societal factors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Along with substance use disorder counselors, GCASA\u2019s Batavia clinic also employs a medical director, assistant director, clinical supervisors, two nurse practitioners, five full-time nurses and a physician\u2019s assistant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

FENTANYL: A GAME-CHANGER<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Having the proper number of medical personnel on staff has taken on added significance with the emergence of the deadly drug fentanyl, Murphy said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFentanyl has dramatically changed our work as people are sicker now than ever before,\u201d she offered. \u201cTreatment methods that used to help people \u2013 prior to the opioid epidemic are just not enough anymore. Medication Assisted Treatment has become a vital part of the services we offer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBefore we can start to help someone heal from an opioid use disorder, people need to physically feel better.  Fentanyl has made this more challenging due to how harmful it is and how prevalent it has become.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Murphy said that five or six years ago, individuals would test positive for heroin, for example, and they would be shocked when they learned they also had fentanyl in their system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAt that time, they were scared. Now, they come in and they\u2019re positive for fentanyl only and they are not afraid of it because they don\u2019t think they will be the next to overdose,\u201d she said. \u201cSimilar to when we drive too fast or check a text on our phone while driving. We don’t think getting hurt will happen to us, until it does.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Allison Parry-Gurak, director of Residential Services, said tests are showing that fentanyl is present in many illicit substances, not just heroin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFor example, we have individuals with a stimulant use disorder whose primary substance is cocaine.  More and more frequently, we are finding when we test them they are also positive for fentanyl but they have no history with opioids.\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The scariest part of the fentanyl epidemic is the frequency of overdose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe’ve gotten phone calls from agencies in Rochester and reporting they\u2019ve had six overdoses,\u201d Murphy said. \u201cThe hardest part is that the people we see that are having fatal overdoses are patients who have gone long periods without use. And then for various reasons or circumstance they have a reoccurrence, sometimes only one time, and those are the people that are dying because their bodies aren’t used to the fentanyl.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A CONTINUUM OF CARE<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Parry-Gurak oversees the Atwater Community Residence, as well as several other residential programs offered by GCASA. She said the agency\u2019s ability to expand services over the years gives patients a greater chance in their recovery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, I think the beauty of this campus is that we pretty much offer the whole continuum of care all on one campus. Additionally, all of our programs have such great working relationships with each other and are able to work collaboratively to support our patients,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo, there\u2019s the residences plus now we have the detox center for those in need of medical supervision while they start their recovery journey (usually three to seven days), and then there is the outpatient treatment programs all in one place.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hodgins mentioned that the system is working.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving a campus like this where we can do the continuum of care is a great thing,\u201d she said. \u201cPeople will come to detox and then transition to Atwater, and\/or walk over to the clinic for their treatment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GCASA also offers The Recovery Station, a drug- and alcohol-free social setting at the former Bohn\u2019s Restaurant building on Clinton Street Road, and a shuttle service for those in need of transportation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Hodgins and Murphy, both longtime employees at GCASA, integration, effective medications and counseling, and expansion of services provide opportunities for people with a substance use disorder to live healthy lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

TIME TO WITHHOLD JUDGMENT<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

All three women also mentioned the need to eliminate the stigma associated with substance use disorder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe deal with a disease that is encompassed in shame, guilt and hurt,\u201d Parry-Gurak said. \u201cA lot of times, people that are pointing the finger saying to us, \u2018What are you doing? You’re not helping them? Or you’re just giving them more \u2018drugs\u2019 are either someone who has been hurt by someone with a substance use disorder or someone who truly does not understand how difficult and complex this disease is.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Murphy acknowledged that substance use disorder is \u201can ugly disease, and the behaviors that can be associated with it are not pretty.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTherefore, the stigma associated with substance use disorder is so strong in our society and this creates an additional obstacle for those with a substance use disorder,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When asked how she measures success, Hodgins said the word has different meanings for different people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt’s really hard to define,\u201d she responded. \u201cPeople ask me all the time, what’s your success rate? It’s very hard to define because it’s all individualized.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ACCESS TO SERVICES<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hodgins, Murphy and Parry-Gurak said they know that many area residents are in need of substance use services and that GCASA has an open access policy where walk-ins are accepted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Murphy said all prospective patients are assessed to see what treatment is appropriate,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s about having a conversation.  With methadone, it\u2019s a little different because things need to be done before they’re actually admitted,\u201d Murphy said. \u201cThere’s a very specific process but it all starts with a phone call to our main number, 343-1124.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For more information about GCASA\u2019s treatment programs, call 585-343-1124 or visit gcasa.net. Walk-in assessments, with no appointment necessary, are done on Tuesday through Thursday prior to 11:15 a.m.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Press release By Mike PettinellaGCASA Publicist By integrating the opioid treatment program and outpatient counseling clinic, Genesee\/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse has connected the care warranted in a society dealing with the effects of a global pandemic and the stress caused by economic uncertainty. \u201cHere at GCASA and, \u2026<\/p>\n

Continue reading<\/i><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[23,6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-31987","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-genesee-county","category-orleans-county"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8eTP4-8jV","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":47037,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2023\/09\/18\/genesee-orleans-gcasas-new-name-signifies-capacity-to-connect-public-to-variety-of-services\/","url_meta":{"origin":31987,"position":0},"title":"GENESEE\/ORLEANS\/GCASA\u2019s new name signifies capacity to \u2018connect\u2019 public to variety of services","author":"aka","date":"September 18, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Press release As the result of a remarkable expansion of services over the years, the leadership at Genesee\/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse has decided to give the nonprofit agency a new name that reflects its mission of \u201cperson-centered care.\u201d Effective Sept. 18, GCASA will be known as UConnectCare\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Genesee County"","block_context":{"text":"Genesee County","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/category\/genesee-county\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/UConnectCare_logo_color.png?fit=1200%2C461&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/UConnectCare_logo_color.png?fit=1200%2C461&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/UConnectCare_logo_color.png?fit=1200%2C461&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/UConnectCare_logo_color.png?fit=1200%2C461&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/UConnectCare_logo_color.png?fit=1200%2C461&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":24452,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2021\/04\/12\/genesee-orleans-gcasa-program-provides-support-to-those-who-have-been-incarcerated\/","url_meta":{"origin":31987,"position":1},"title":"GENESEE\/ORLEANS\/GCASA program provides support to those who have been incarcerated","author":"aka","date":"April 12, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Press release Added to the list of programs offered by Genesee\/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse last September, the GCASA Reentry Program continues to provide support to men and women seeking to find their place in the community after being incarcerated \u201cThe main goal of this program is to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Genesee County"","block_context":{"text":"Genesee County","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/category\/genesee-county\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":32787,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2022\/05\/24\/genesee-orleans-counties-gcasa-recognizes-board-staff-scholars-friends\/","url_meta":{"origin":31987,"position":2},"title":"GENESEE\/ORLEANS COUNTIES\/GCASA recognizes board, staff, scholars, friends","author":"aka","date":"May 24, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"By Mike PettinellaGCASA Publicist Understanding the importance of enlisting all segments of the community to fight the scourge of substance use disorder, Genesee\/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse leaders on Monday afternoon recognized its board of directors, staff, scholarship recipients and \u201cfriends\u201d at the nonprofit agency\u2019s annual meeting. About\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Genesee County"","block_context":{"text":"Genesee County","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/category\/genesee-county\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/friends-1.jpg?fit=758%2C886&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/friends-1.jpg?fit=758%2C886&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/friends-1.jpg?fit=758%2C886&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/friends-1.jpg?fit=758%2C886&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":42759,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2023\/05\/25\/genesee-orleans-counties-scholarship-recipients-friends-honored-at-gcasa-gathering\/","url_meta":{"origin":31987,"position":3},"title":"GENESEE\/ORLEANS COUNTIES\/Scholarship recipients, \u2018friends\u2019 honored at GCASA gathering","author":"aka","date":"May 25, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"GCASA \u2018FRIENDS\u2019:\u00a0Receiving \u201cFriends of GCASA\u201d awards for 2023 are, seated from left, Heather Jackson, Jay Balduf, Megan Boring; standing, Patrick Cecere, Pam McCarthy, Scott Wooten, Matt Prawel, Lt. Bob Tedford.(provided photo) By Mike PettinellaGCASA Publicist Genesee\/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse officials on Wednesday afternoon honored six \u201cfriends\u201d of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Genesee County"","block_context":{"text":"Genesee County","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/category\/genesee-county\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/gcasa-scholarship-2023.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/gcasa-scholarship-2023.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/gcasa-scholarship-2023.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/gcasa-scholarship-2023.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":44272,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2023\/07\/05\/genesee-orleans-wyoming-counties-healing-genesee-banks-on-proven-strategies-to-reduce-opioid-related-overdose-fatalities\/","url_meta":{"origin":31987,"position":4},"title":"GENESEE\/ORLEANS & WYOMING COUNTIES\/HEALing Genesee banks on proven strategies to reduce opioid-related overdose fatalities","author":"aka","date":"July 5, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"On A Mission to HEAL:\u00a0Leading the HEALing Genesee initiative to reduce opioid overdose deaths are, from left, Columbia University research team members Louisa Gilbert, Nabila El-Bassel, Timothy Hunt and James David; 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