The Addiction Policy Forum, a leading national nonprofit, recognized Primary Health Care’s Medication Assisted Treatment Program in its Iowa Innovations to Address Addiction report, spotlighting innovative programs that address addiction and provide support for families and communities.

“The Innovation Now Initiative recognizes revolutionary programs, such as the Primary Health Care MAT Program, that are transforming the response to addiction in Iowa and offering solutions during a time of crisis,” says Jessica Hulsey Nickel, founder of the Addiction Policy Forum.

PHC works closely with the Substance Abuse Treatment Unit of Iowa in Marshalltown to provide counseling and behavioral health services to their MAT patients. The program expanded to other Primary Health Care locations and also works with the jail, providing naltrexone and giving presentations throughout the community.

“Counseling only has a 6-10 percent efficacy rate. With MAT, there’s 60-80 percent success rate for treatment retention. That decreases the risk of overdose. We want to normalize the use of MAT. It is a treatment, just like other diseases have treatments,” said Dr. Alan Bollinger. “It’s an honor that we are recognized by Addiction Policy Forum as an innovative solution to the addiction crisis.”

In 2018, PHC provided MAT services to 222 patients in Des Moines, Marshalltown and Ames. The program has previously received national recognition from the New York Times.

Here is the article about our program on the Addiction Policy Forum website.

Photos courtesy of the Addiction Policy Forum.