Choptank Community Health System is standing up against substance abuse by highlighting its Medication-Assisted Treatment programs during this September’s Go Purple movement in Caroline, Dorchester, and Talbot counties.
Choptank Community Health System CEO Sara Rich, center, stands up against substance abuse along with staff members at Choptank Health’s Denton office.
“Drug overdose deaths rose by nearly 30% nationwide in 2020, hitting the highest number ever recorded,” said Choptank Community Health System CEO Sara Rich. “Have the conversations with your children, family members, and friends who are struggling, and know our MAT program is an effective way to help reduce opioid overdoses within the communities we serve.”
The regional Go Purple movement began in Talbot County, Md. as a month-long awareness and education initiative for preventing substance abuse disorders among youth. Choptank Health centers in Caroline, Dorchester, and Talbot Counties are sharing educational messages to help prevent substance abuse while lighting their offices in purple throughout September. Educational messages from Talbot Goes Purple, Dorchester Goes Purple, and Drug-Free Caroline are also being shared with Choptank Community Health’s online audiences.
MAT is the use of medications in combination with counseling and behavioral therapies to treat substance-use disorders. The individually tailored program is offered at Choptank Health’s Denton and Federalsburg locations and is primarily used for the treatment of opioid addiction, including heroin and prescription pain relievers containing opiates.
Members of Choptank Community Health System’s Federalsburg staff recently dressed in purple as part of Choptank Health’s commitment to standing up against substance abuse and the regional Go Purple movement this September.
The prescribed medications used in MAT work to normalize brain chemistry, blocking the patient’s ability to obtain the feeling of getting high, and normalizing body functions without the negative effects of the substance used.
“Medicated-Assisted Treatment relieves opioid withdrawal symptoms and the psychological cravings that cause chemical imbalances in the body,” said Rich. “Our ultimate goal is for patients to achieve full recovery by helping those with substance abuse live a healthy, full life.”
Choptank Community Health System provides medical and dental services in Caroline, Dorchester, and Talbot counties, with a mission to provide access to exceptional, comprehensive, and integrated health care for all. Choptank Community Health’s medical services include primary health care, women’s health, pediatrics, behavioral health, chronic health management, and care navigation, with new medical patients now being accepted. More information is at choptankhealth.org.
Write a Letter to the Editor on this Article
We encourage readers to offer their point of view on this article by submitting the following form. Editing is sometimes necessary and is done at the discretion of the editorial staff.