Responding to the continued public health crisis of opioid addiction in Missouri, I’m happy to report the successful relocation and expansion of our Kansas City Treatment Center to what is locally referred to as Hospital Hill, a short distance from the former location but one which significantly improves access to public transportation, visibility and parking. Within the larger footprint, we redesigned the counseling and therapy rooms to focus on deepening the counselor-patient engagement.
Counselors meet with patients in private rooms devoid of normal office clutter and distractions, creating an environment of safety and trust. When not meeting with patients, counselors share a collaborative workspace supporting peer-to-peer conversations and problem-solving. The group counseling room now accommodates more patients, and BHG increased its number of dosing rooms.
In Missouri, the need is pressing. In a 2018 study by the Kaiser Family Foundation, the state of Missouri reported some 38,000 residents who were already aware that they had Opioid Use Disorder (OUD), and another 110,000 adults reported needing but not receiving treatment for illicit drug use that same year. In fact, the CDC recently reported on the increase in drug overdose deaths by state from September 2019 to September 2020 and Missouri jumped nearly 20 percent.
