If you or a loved one needs addiction treatment today, Spectrum is ready. Our Rapid Access Treatment Program, located at 475 Pleasant Street in Worcester, Mass. is a specialized program which allows people to come in for an assessment and receive their first dose of medication for opioid use disorders (MOUD) on the same day. As the only organization in Massachusetts offering rapid access treatment using buprenorphine and naltrexone, this program is uniquely positioned to help incoming clients throughout the state start their recovery journey immediately.
We launched the program in 2019 with funding from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH), Bureau of Substance Addiction Services (BSAS) after it was awarded a State Opioid Response Grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). As part of the state’s on-going efforts to meet the needs of the community, Spectrum recently expanded rapid access treatment to include stimulant use disorders.
This week, we sat down with Program Director Sanjay Grant, MA-LMHC to learn more about Spectrum’s hub and spoke model of care. The first thing to know is that clients must meet specific criteria to qualify for rapid access.
“To be eligible, individuals must have a history of or current case of opioid use,” Sanjay explained. “Incoming clients either come to us in the beginning stages of withdrawal or they are referred to us from a detox program, hospital, or incarceration. Once admitted, our treatment team works with clients to identify and develop the most suitable treatment option.”
While the Rapid Access Program is an outpatient form of care, it differs from our other outpatient programs. The Pleasant Street site acts as a hub, where clients walk in to start their recovery with medication right away. During COVID-19, we do ask that you call first to let us know you’re coming in so we can ensure proper social distancing protocols. In our other outpatient programs, clients are typically required to visit daily for medication dispensing (depending on each client’s individual needs), but with this program, daily visits are usually not necessary.
After the admission process is completed, clients typically receive a prescription for buprenorphine or naltrexone. From there, clients are stabilized, and a treatment plan is established for sustaining long-term recovery.
“We have people coming to us from all over – from Cape Cod to Maine,” said Sanjay. “As the hub, we’ll help find the spoke, which is a treatment center closer to home. We help find the right local providers from primary care to psychiatry. We’re also available to help with transportation needs, insurance, employment, housing and food stamps.”
Breaking down barriers to addiction treatment is a core mission of ours. Once we make access to care easier, we are better able to combat the ongoing opioid epidemic. Our Rapid Access Program is proof of that, having helped over 350 people and counting since the program’s inception in 2019.
Hours of admission for our Rapid Access Treatment program are Monday, Tuesday, and Friday from 8am to 10am at 475 Pleasant Street in Worcester, Massachusetts. Call our direct line at 774-314-4761 and start your recovery journey today!
