As Maine goes, so goes the Nation’’ — or so we hope.
This phrase was initially made famous after Maine’s gubernatorial election successfully predicted the elected party of the following presidential election throughout the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. While Maines’s voting practices may no longer foretell national elections, we continue to move forward with progressive, trauma-informed, and evidence-based approaches to addressing nationwide epidemics.
With the development of the Opioid Health Home, Maine’s Medicaid beneficiaries, and the Uninsured, can benefit from a holistic and comprehensive treatment program. This “Home” is not a residential home, but instead a program housing an entire team of multidisciplinary professionals, all of whom have lived, studied, focused, and committed their specialties to reducing the prevalence of opioid addiction, within the treatment world.
While the model allows for various implementations, including complete telehealth and/or harm reduction practices, SaVida Health believes this Home is a huge step forward in addressing the complexity of opioid addiction. Gap primary care provider coverage, co-occurring treatment, including individual counseling sessions with dually licensed providers and psychiatric medication management, Peer Recovery Coaching and Care Coordination are not only at the core of the SaVida Health treatment model, but available at each and every center.
Progressing beyond preventing return to use and/or incarceration, SaVida Health’s model of whole person Recovery Health capitalizes upon the Opioid Health Home’s designated roles. SaVida Health’s members work with their providers to develop individualized care plans with a person-centered approach to whole person healing.
For most members, this includes exploring the physical, emotional, relational, financial and spiritual injuries that occurred during active use. “Our program’s ability to move beyond return to use, and support our members as they navigate life, is not only what sets our programming apart from others, but is also empowering our members to have longevity within recovery” shared Abbie Rohde, the Director of Behavioral Health for SaVida Health.
“Sixty-three percent of our members have remained in treatment, without lapse in care or return to misuse, for over a year” Abbie further explained.
Medication, to prevent cravings and withdrawals and/or reduce the effects of an opioid overdose, are a critical component to saving lives; however, Maine policy makers have committed to expanding access to a full array of services, all necessary in building Recovery Health. Recognizing that those seeking recovery, and those who yet to believe they can recover, are capable of developing Recovery Health through access to holistic care, within Maine’s Opioid Health home, will remain SaVida Health’s commitment.
“As Maine goes, so goes the Nation” …or so we hope.
Abbie Rohde, LCSW, CCS has successfully developed and implemented two successful Opioid Health Homes programs, within Maine, since 2017. Navigating the challenges of in person treatment delivery, throughout rural Maine, Abbie is a wellknown advocate for long term Recovery Health and is currently the Director of Behavioral Health for SaVida Health, Maine and New Hampshire.
