Crucial to ensuring the lowest possible barriers to medication-assisted treatment (MAT), at least one clinician with the appropriate waiver and training to prescribe buprenorphine and naltrexone should be on the mobile unit during every clinical session. The clinician may be an MD, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, or other qualified health professional depending on the resources available to the program’s clinical partner. See schedules for upcoming trainings from Boston Medical Center
Harm reduction services are critical to not only engage prospective patients, but also to provide low-threshold access to clean injection equipment, naloxone kits and education about safer injection techniques. Outreach workers should be well-versed in harm reduction strategies. Local SSPs staff would be ideal to serve as the harm reduction partner for the program if the clinical partner does not have staff with harm reduction expertise or lived experience.
Harm reduction services are critical to not only engage prospective patients, but also to provide low-threshold access to clean injection equipment, naloxone kits and education about safer injection techniques. Outreach workers should be well-versed in harm reduction strategies. Local SSPs staff would be ideal to serve as the harm reduction partner for the program if the clinical partner does not have staff with harm reduction expertise or lived experience.
Basic competencies for outreach workers:
•HIV/HCV/STI transmission, prevention and treatment.
•Overdose prevention education.
•Safer injection education.
•Risk reduction strategies around substance use and sexual practices.
•Addiction treatment modalities and linkage to care.
When determining the number of outreach workers to include during clinical sessions, staff should be mindful of 1) limited space on the mobile unit and 2) available resources. Ideally, outreach should be conducted in pairs and at least one staff member should be on the mobile unit with the clinician during a medical encounter. The clinician may also conduct outreach with the outreach team during times when there are no patients to be seen on the van. Three outreach workers may be ideal (creating a team of four total on the van) to ensure the team can work in pairs. Other staffing models should be considered depending on available space and funding.
