ED Bridge

With the addition of the ED Bridge program, KYSOS now addresses the full continuum of care for Kentucky patients, treatment of pain and treating those with opioid use disorder (OUD). The newest initiative within KYSOS is the launch of the Emergency Department (ED) Bridge Program. The main objective of the ED Bridge Program is to ensure patients with OUD receive 24/7 access to care. EDs have an incredible opportunity to make OUD treatment accessible to all.

The state has ED Bridge Programs in place, making a difference in the lives of patients and their communities. However, the KYSOS team will continue to expand the ED Bridge Programs into acute care hospital EDs across the state. The KYSOS ED Bridge Program goal is to increase access to treatment and assist patients on their road to recovery, thus saving lives in Kentucky communities.

For more information about the ED Bridge program, contact Emily Henderson and Mary Beth Ecken.

Ambulance parked, with patient being rushed into the hospital
The Kentucky Hospital Association (KHA) partnered with UK HealthCare and the Cabinet for Health and Family Services as part of the Kentucky Opioid Response Effort (KORE) to launch the Kentucky Statewide Opioid Stewardship (KY SOS) program.
 
The KY SOS Program is working with Kentucky hospitals to fight the opioid epidemic.  The program provides services to inpatient, outpatient primary care clinics, and has just expanded its bandwidth to include emergency departments (ED) across the Commonwealth. Reducing opioid overprescribing while improving safe opioid use in inpatient and primary care clinics in Kentucky continues to be the KY SOS mainstay and goal. With the addition of the ED Bridge program, KY SOS now addresses the full continuum of care for Kentucky patients, treatment of pain and treating those with opioid use disorder (OUD).
 
The newest initiative within KY SOS is the launch of the Emergency Department (ED) Bridge Program.  The main objective of the ED Bridge Program is to ensure patients with OUD receive 24/7 access to care.  EDs have an incredible opportunity to make OUD treatment accessible to all.  
 
The state has 11 ED Bridge Programs in place, making a difference in the lives of patients and their communities.  The KY SOS team will continue to expand the ED Bridge Programs into acute care hospital EDs across the state.  
 
The KY SOS ED Bridge Program goal is to increase access to treatment and assist patients in their road to recovery, thus saving lives in Kentucky communities.
The Kentucky Hospital Association (KHA) partnered with the Cabinet for Health and Family Services as part of the Kentucky Opioid Response Effort (KORE) to launch the Kentucky Statewide Opioid Stewardship (KYSOS) program.
 
The KYSOS Program is working with Kentucky hospitals to fight the opioid epidemic.  The program provides services to inpatient, outpatient primary care clinics, and has expanded its bandwidth to include emergency departments (ED) across the Commonwealth. Reducing opioid overprescribing while improving safe opioid use in inpatient and primary care clinics in Kentucky continues to be the KYSOS mainstay and goal. With the addition of the ED Bridge program, KYSOS now addresses the full continuum of care for Kentucky patients, treatment of pain and treating those with opioid use disorder (OUD).
 
The KYSOS ED Bridge Program goal is to increase access to treatment and assist patients in their road to recovery, thus saving lives in Kentucky communities.
The ED Bridge Program is based on four Core Elements:
  1. Provide Low-barrier Treatment
    • Ensure buprenorphine is on hospital formulary and readily available for rapid, same-day treatment.
    • Assess and remove unnecessary barriers to treatment.
  2. Connect Patients to Ongoing Care in Community
    • Link patients to a Peer Support Specialist (PSS) that will provide support and follow-up.
    • Establish connections with at least one clinic or outpatient setting in the community.
  3. Nurture a Culture of Harm Reduction in ED Department
    • Identify a Clinical Champion who will be a key player in program.
    • Educate staff on medications for addiction treatment (MAT), treatment protocols, and referrals to community.
    • Provide naloxone to all patients upon discharge with history of overdose (OD), risk for OD, or opioid use disorder (OUD) diagnosis
  4. Collect Data to Measure Success
    • Track and report data through KY Quality Counts.
    • Generate support to sustain program.

*Adapted from California Bridge*

Map of Kentucky ED Bridge Program Sites

January 2024

ED Bridge Resources

TitleSummaryCategoriesTagsFile TypeLinkDatehf:doc_categorieshf:doc_tagshf:file_type
ED Bridge Encyclopedia of Measures

Treatment Services for Opioid Use Disorder (OUD)
Treatment Services for Stimulant Use Disorder (StimUD)
Recovery Support Services Received in the Emergency Department
Demographics
Naloxone Distribution

pdfSeptember 18, 2024ed-bridgepdf
Measuring Peer Recovery Outcomes Toolkit: Showing the Impact of Peers in Meaningful Ways

In partnership with OMNI Institute, the Peer Recovery Center of Excellence published this toolkit to help guide your program or organization through a values-driven process, resulting in an evaluation plan highlighting the most important aspects of peer recovery support. Information, worksheets, and resources are provided for each phase of the process, which includes identifying program values and related outcomes, choosing evaluation tools, plan implementation, and sustainability strategies.

wwwSeptember 3, 2024ed-bridgetoolswww
Naloxone Distribution Guide for Emergency Department (ED) Bridge Programs

Please refer to this guide when requesting Naloxone as of July 1, 2024.

, pdfJune 26, 2024ed-bridge naloxonepdf
Naloxone Distribution in Emergency Department (ED) Bridge Programs

, wwwJune 25, 2024ed-bridge naloxonewebinarwww
Important Information About Your Opioid Prescription One-Pager

This information is to help you better understand the risks and benefits of taking an opioid medication that is prescribed to you. It may also help you communicate better with your doctor or healthcare provider when discussing your pain management.

, , , pdfJune 13, 2024ed-bridge inpatient outpatient patient-resourcespdf
Naloxone Administration and Rescue Breathing Reference Cards

Find Naloxone Now KY

, pdfJune 5, 2024ed-bridge naloxonepdf
KYSOS Webinar: Substance Use Disorder Nursing Education: Addressing Misconceptions

, wwwMay 14, 2024ed-bridge opioid-use-stigmawebinarwww
KYSOS Webinar: Maximizing the Role of Peer Support Specialists in the ED

wwwApril 17, 2024ed-bridgewebinarwww
NIDA Initiating BUP Resources for Prescribers

Includes examples and cases for motivating patients (National Institute on Drug Abuse)

, , , wwwApril 9, 2024ed-bridge inpatient outpatient provider-resourceswww
Addictionary

If we want addiction destigmatized, we need a language that’s unified. The words we use matter. Caution needs to be taken, especially when the disorders concerned are heavily stigmatized as substance use disorders are.

, , , wwwApril 9, 2024ed-bridge inpatient outpatient provider-resourcestoolswww
KYSOS Webinar: Impact of OUD Stigma

, , , wwwMarch 28, 2024ed-bridge inpatient opioid-use-stigma outpatientwebinarwww
Find Naloxone Now KY

The Kentucky Department for Public Health Harm Reduction Program is excited to announce the launch of Find Naloxone Now KY, a statewide naloxone access portal and locator map that connects Kentuckians to 136 locations where naloxone is available locally and free of charge.

, aspxMarch 18, 2024ed-bridge naloxonewebsiteaspx
Find Recovery Housing Now KY

Kentucky Recovery Housing Network

wwwMarch 7, 2024ed-bridgewebsitewww
MAT as the Standard of Care for OUD

wwwFebruary 29, 2024ed-bridgewebinarwww
Opioid Overdose Recognition and Response: A Guide for Communities and Bystanders

Naloxone educational how-to and informational guide from the Department of Public Health

, , , pdfFebruary 2, 2024ed-bridge inpatient naloxone outpatientpdf
Opioid Overdose Recognition

Kentucky Public Health

pdfFebruary 1, 2024ed-bridgepdf
Opioid Overdose Risk Reduction

Kentucky Public Health

pdfFebruary 1, 2024ed-bridgepdf
Talking About Naloxone with Patients Prescribed Opioids

This guide offers tips to help clinicians communicate the benefits of naloxone to patients, family members, and caregivers. (CDC)

, , pdfFebruary 1, 2024naloxone outpatient provider-resources ed-bridgepdf
When to Offer Naloxone to Patients

Only 1 naloxone prescription is dispensed for every 70 high-dose opioid prescriptions. As a healthcare professional, you play a critical role in ensuring patients receive naloxone. (CDC)

, , pdfFebruary 1, 2024naloxone outpatient provider-resources ed-bridgeguidelinespdf
Initiating Buprenorphine Treatment in the Emergency Department

National Institute on Drug Abuse

wwwJanuary 31, 2024ed-bridgetoolswww
Naloxone Training Video

, wwwJanuary 31, 2024ed-bridge naloxonewww
Findhelpnowky.org

Enables patients and family members to find information about available substance use disorder treatment options in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

, , , wwwJanuary 31, 2024ed-bridge inpatient outpatient patient-resourceswebsitewww
Emergency Department-Initiated Buprenorphine for Opioid Use Disorder

Assess OUD, opioid withdrawal, and treatment readiness for ED-initiated buprenorphine

wwwJanuary 31, 2024ed-bridgewebsitewww
Clinical Opiate Withdrawal Scale (COWS)

Quantifies severity of opiate withdrawal

wwwJanuary 31, 2024ed-bridgewebsitewww
ED-Initiated Buprenorphine

Yale School of Medicine

wwwJanuary 31, 2024ed-bridgewebsitewww
Emergency Department Buprenorphine Treatment: A Toolkit for North Carolina Hospitals

North Carolina Healthcare Association

, wwwJanuary 31, 2024ed-bridgetools websitewww
California Bridge: Bridge to Treatment

Transforming Addiction Treatment Through 24/7 Access in Emergency Departments

wwwJanuary 31, 2024ed-bridgewebsitewww
Kentucky Harm Reduction Coalition

The Kentucky Harm Reduction Coalition improves the public health of Kentuckians by reducing overdoses, overdose deaths, and the transmission of blood-borne diseases such as HIV and HCV.

wwwJanuary 31, 2024ed-bridgewebsitewww
SAMHSA Help and Treatment Resources

Find help and treatment

, wwwJanuary 31, 2024ed-bridge patient-resourceswebsitewww
UNSHAME Kentucky

UNSHAME Kentucky is a public health campaign aimed to reduce the addiction-related stigma held by Kentuckians across the state.

, wwwJanuary 31, 2024ed-bridge opioid-use-stigmawebsitewww
Kentucky Opioid Response Effort (KORE)

Cabinet for Health and Family Services

aspxJanuary 31, 2024ed-bridgewebsiteaspx
Naloxone and Syringe Exchange Locations

Team Kentucky

, , aspxJanuary 31, 2024ed-bridge harm-reduction patient-resourceswebsiteaspx
Prescription Drug Disposal Locations

Find a Prescription Drug Disposal Location

, , aspxJanuary 31, 2024ed-bridge harm-reduction patient-resourceswebsiteaspx
Hiring a Peer Support Specialist in Your Emergency Department

The Peer Support Specialist (PSS) plays an integral role in the ED Bridge Program. The success of the program will be dependent upon the PSS as well as the other members of the multi-disciplinary team.

, pdfJanuary 31, 2024ed-bridge peer-support-specialistpdf
We Have Liftoff: Introducing Bridge, Fighting Stigma, Promoting Buy-In, and Tips to Success / Implementation of Programs to Initiate Buprenorphine in the ED

wwwJanuary 30, 2024ed-bridgewebinarwww
Naloxone: Tips for Prescribers and Pharmacists

Recommendations, Key Points of Patient Education, Naloxone Products for Bystander Use, Pharmacist-Initiated Dispensing of Naloxone, Talking About Naloxone

, pdfJanuary 9, 2024ed-bridge naloxoneguidelinespdf
Kentucky Naloxone Copay Program Card

KORE

, pdfJanuary 9, 2024ed-bridge naloxonepdf
Kentucky Naloxone Copay Program Flyer

Guide for Prescribers and Pharmacists

, pdfJanuary 9, 2024ed-bridge naloxonepromotional-materialspdf
The Utility of Treating Opioid Use Disorder with Buprenorphine-Naloxone in the Intensive Care Setting

, wwwDecember 12, 2023inpatient naloxone ed-bridgewebinarwww
Incorporating Peer Support Into Substance Use Disorder Treatment Services

SAMSHA TIP 64

, pdfOctober 26, 2023ed-bridge peer-support-specialistguidelinespdf
Medications for Opioid Use Disorder Linkage and Retention Recovery Coach Training Manual

HEALing Communities Study KY and Voices of Hope Lexington

, pdfOctober 1, 2023ed-bridge peer-support-specialistreportspdf
2023 Naloxone Update

, , wwwSeptember 26, 2023inpatient naloxone outpatient ed-bridgewebinarwww
KAR PSS Regulations

908 KAR 2:220. Adult peer support specialist.

, pdfMay 2, 2023ed-bridge peer-support-specialistregulationspdf
Kentucky Board of Pharmacy: 201 KAR 2:360 Naloxone dispensing

Proposed Amendment

, pdfSeptember 14, 2022ed-bridge naloxonepdf
GPRA 2023 (6 month follow up)

Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA): Client Outcome Measures for Discretionary Programs

, pdfAugust 1, 2022ed-bridge peer-support-specialistformspdf
GPRA 2023 Intake Form

Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA): Client Outcome Measures for Discretionary Programs

, pdfAugust 1, 2022ed-bridge peer-support-specialistformspdf
Peer Support Services in Crisis Care (SAMSHA Advisory)

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

, pdfJune 1, 2022ed-bridge peer-support-specialistpdf