Barton Health Offers Treatment for Substance Use Disorder
(South Lake Tahoe, Calif.) – Barton Health has expanded access to care for substance use disorder (SUD), offering treatment through the Barton Community Health Center for greater Lake Tahoe community members experiencing addiction to opioids and other substances. One in seven Americans aged 12 or older reports experiencing a SUD, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and SUD is consistently identified as a top health concern in the Lake Tahoe community through the triennial Community Health Needs Assessment.
Barton’s robust SUD program is an outpatient service that utilizes medicated assisted treatment, dedicated providers with advanced certifications, and harm reduction tactics to address SUD in our community and provide the greatest chance of successful treatment and recovery. The program is reinforced by Barton’s partnership with CA Bridge, a program of the Public Health Institute, a non-profit committed to ensuring California hospitals have evidence-based care models to treat SUD like any other life-threatening condition.
“SUDs are treatable, chronic diseases that can affect anyone, and it’s likely you or someone close to you has been affected by addiction,” said Dr. Jacob Marquette, board-certified addiction medicine specialist. “With more accessible SUD treatment close to home, we reduce barriers for our community members struggling with addiction so they can begin to heal and gain control of their life.”
Jacob Marquette, DO, is recently board certified in addiction medicine through the American Board of Preventive Medicine (ABPM). He and Barton’s Substance Use Navigator, Aislynn Soave, work with a multi-disciplinary team of clinicians to prevent, recognize, and treat many forms of addiction, including opioid use disorder (OUD).
For patients suffering from OUD (e.g. addiction to heroin or opioid pills), medication assisted treatment (MAT) may be necessary. Through Barton’s MAT Program, medications such as Suboxone® (buprenorphine) or naltrexone may be used to assist with recovery, particularly in the painful withdrawal phase. When used in conjunction with behavioral counseling, MAT is proven effective in the treatment of OUD and can help some people sustain recovery.
“It’s important to know that substance use disorder is a disease, not a moral failing,” said Marquette. “Our goal is to provide support services for those struggling with SUD — from diagnosis and treatment to reintegration into society, we offer supportive pathways of healing and recovery that are backed by professionals and peers, providing the best chance of maintaining long-term recovery.”
Cal Hospital Compare recognized Barton Memorial Hospital on their 2021 Opioid Care Honor Roll with a ‘Superior Performance,’ meaning Barton has implemented advanced, innovative opioid stewardship strategies across multiple service lines, consistently achieving the highest level of performance.
Barton continues to focus on educating the community and providing access to life-saving measures for OUD. Naloxone, found in NARCAN Nasal Spray, is a potentially life-saving medication designed to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose in minutes. Since most opioid overdoses occur in the home and are most often witnessed, having NARCAN nearby can save a life. Please remember, NARCAN Nasal Spray is not a substitute for emergency medical care, call 911 immediately in the event of an overdose.
NARCAN, along with other harm-reduction tools such as fentanyl test strips, are available at organizations throughout the community. For more information about substance use disorder and Barton Health’s Medication Assisted Treatment program, and a list of locations with NARCAN and fentanyl test strips, visit BartonHealth.org/MAT.
