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To Fight Opioid Epidemic, Wolf Administration Implements 25 Additional Centers of Excellence Locations

Harrisburg, PA – Governor Tom Wolf today announced that his administration will implement an additional 25 Centers of Excellence (COE) locations throughout the ...
OPIOID

Harrisburg, PA – Governor Tom Wolf today announced that his administration will implement an additional 25 Centers of Excellence (COE) locations throughout the state by January 1, 2017. The COEs will offer treatment to Pennsylvanians with opioid-related substance use disorder.

“As we all know, the opioid epidemic does not discriminate – it affects Pennsylvanians from all walks of life,” said Governor Tom Wolf. “With these additional locations, my administration is continuing its commitment to expanding high-quality treatment across Pennsylvania.”

Rather than just treating the addiction, the Department of Human Services will treat the entire person through team-based treatment, with the explicit goal of integrating behavioral health and primary care and, when appropriate, evidence-based medication assisted treatment.

“Adding the 25 new locations brings the total number of COEs to 45,” said DHS Secretary Ted Dallas. “The Department’s goal is to provide all Pennsylvanians with treatment that addresses not only their substance use disorder but also the underlying physical and behavioral health issues that often fuel that are at the root of their addiction.”

The 2016-2017 budget included $10 million in behavioral health funding and $5 million in medical assistance funding, totaling $15 million. This will allow DHS to draw down $5.4 million in federal funding for an overall total of $20.4 million.

During phase one, the Department of Human Services implemented 20 Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) Centers of Excellence by utilizing the $10 million in behavioral health funding. After working with its actuaries to analyze the impact of adding medication assisted treatment on Medicaid managed care rates and subsequently negotiating 2017 rates with managed care organizations, DHS has determined that they can implement 25 additional centers with the $5 million in state Medicaid funds and $5.4 million in federal funds.

The additional COEs announced today will serve at least 5,600 additional individuals. The COEs are a central, efficient hub around which treatment revolves. These centers will have navigators to assist people with opioid-related substance use disorders through the medical system, and ensure they receive behavioral and physical health care, as well as any evidence-based medication-assisted treatment needed.

The 25 selected recipients are:
• AIDS Case Group/Sharon Hill Medical, Delaware County
• Butler Memorial Hospital, Butler County
• CASA of Livingston County, Inc., Bradford County
• Clearfield-Jefferson Drug and Alcohol Commission, Clearfield, Jefferson Counties
• Clinical Outcomes Group, Inc., Schuylkill County
• Community Health & Dental Care, Inc., Montgomery County
• Family First Health Corporation, York County
• Family Service Association of Buck County, Bucks County
• Geisinger Clinic/GIM Danville, Mifflin, Montour Counties
• Hamilton Health Center, Dauphin County
• Highlands Hospital, Fayette County
• Lancaster General Hospital, Lancaster County
• Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC, Allegheny, Lawrence, Venango, Blair, and Butler Counties
• Mon Valley Community Health Services, Inc., Westmoreland County
• Mt. Pocono Medical, Monroe County
• Neighborhood Health Centers of Lehigh Valley, Lehigh, Northampton Counties
• Pathways to Housing PA, Philadelphia County
• Penn Presbyterian Medical Center and Perelman School of Medicine Departments of Psychiatry and Obstetrics/Gynecology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia County
• Public Health Management Corporation, Philadelphia County
• Reading Hospital and Health System, Berks County
• The Wright Center Medical Group, PC, Lackawanna County
• Total Wellness Center, LLC. Clean Slate, Lycoming, Luzerne, Erie Counties
• University of Pittsburgh Physicians: General Internal Medicine Clinic – Oakland, Allegheny County
• West Penn Allegheny Health System, Allegheny County
• WPIC of UPMCPS, Allegheny County
For more information about the Centers of Excellence, visit http://www.dhs.pa.gov.

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