Opioid Overdose Recovery Program Named a Mutual of America 2017 Community Partnership Award Winner

NEW YORK, Nov. 16, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Mutual of America announced today that the Opioid Overdose Recovery Program was named a Merit Finalist award recipient of its 2017 Community Partnership Award competition.

Drug overdoses from opioids have quadrupled since 1999, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. When an overdose occurs, first responders often use the life-saving antidote naloxone (Narcan). Because its effects are quick, however, patients who are revived and transported to a local hospital emergency department are discharged within hours. Many go back to drugs as soon as they leave.

To address this crisis, Eva's Village, a social-service organization located in Paterson, partnered with St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center to launch the Opioid Overdose Recovery Program (OORP) in 2016. OORP dispatches specially trained recovery specialists, who are themselves in recovery from addiction, to the hospital bedsides of overdose victims as they regain consciousness. Recovery specialists support overdose survivors at the point of crisis, link them to treatment programs and continue to engage them in a 12-week follow-up period.

"The OORP is a crucial link to helping individuals with substance use disorders get the help needed for sustained recovery," said Heather Thompson, Chief Development Officer for Eva's Village. "Since April 2016, we've received over 500 calls to emergency rooms in all three hospitals in Passaic County, and more than 50% of those patients have entered recovery treatment."

About the Mutual of America Community Partnership Award

The Mutual of America Community Partnership Award annually honors the outstanding contributions that nonprofit organizations, in partnership with public, private and other social sector organizations, make to society. Since 1996, the Community Partnership Award has recognized 220 partnerships from cities and towns across America. To watch videos of all of the national award-winning programs, visit the Mutual of America Foundation Community Partnership Award channel on YouTube.

About Mutual of America

Mutual of America specializes in providing retirement products and services to organizations and their employees, as well as to individuals. Since 1945, Mutual of America has remained committed to offering plan sponsors, plan participants and individuals carefully selected, quality products and services at a competitive price and the personal attention they need to help build and preserve assets for a financially secure future. For more information, visit mutualofamerica.com.

SOURCE Mutual of America

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