Year-End Impact Report Highlights Community Medical Services Successes in Community Engagement, Patient Outcomes and Expanding Access to Care

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Jan. 31, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Community Medical Services (CMS), a leading healthcare provider focused on dealing with the consequences of our country's opioid crisis today released its end-of-year impact report, showcasing significant achievements in its efforts to treat those suffering from opioid-use disorders (OUD). The full impact report may be viewed and downloaded here.

CMS only utilizes modalities of care that are rooted in science and evidence and relies on sophisticated data-tracking systems to gauge patients' Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) outcomes, in an effort to understand and address patient challenges and to measure the life-changing impact that treatment enables. These outcomes include*:

• The percent of patients who do not have stable housing reduces from 23% to 6% after 1 year of treatment
• Unemployment drops from 60% to less than 30% after 1 year of treatment
• Patients see notable improvements in mental health, with 19% reporting moderate or severe anxiety and depression upon intake, and only 8% reporting this after just 30 days of treatment

According to Dr. Robert Sherrick, CMS' Chief Science Officer, "The research on treatment for substance use disorders (SUDs) tell us that only about 25% of people with an SUD are in treatment and of those not in treatment, 94.7% do not acknowledge a need for treatment." As such, says Chief Growth Officer, David Thurlow, "CMS is constantly working to expand access to treatment in under-served areas while also trying to understand and break down barriers that are keeping people from seeking treatment."  In 2023 CMS made huge strides toward making treatment more accessible, and easier to manage upon intake:

• Launched the first SUD treatment mobile app of its kind, Recovery Connect, connecting 4,198 clients directly with their CMS counselors on the go, at a moment's notice – providing care in the moments that matter.
• Added 13 new clinics, 6 of which were new openings and 7 of which were through an acquisition of Illinois-based SUD provider Brightside Clinics, expanding CMS's patient-centered care model to 3 new states: Illinois, Minnesota and Oregon.

CMS approaches patient care with a clear and unique Vision: Leading the change to eliminate the consequences of substance use disorder in our communities. According to CMS' CEO, Nick Stavros, CMS' Mission and Vision are about more than just treating the patients that walk through the doors; it's about impacting the communities in which clinics are located which is part of a broader effort to change the way society overall views addiction and addiction treatment. "Historically, our country has viewed addiction as a moral failing and our society's view of treatment has been shaped into a punitive-oriented approach," Nick says. "We wish to change that by treating those suffering with SUDs from a compassionate perspective and we're constantly trying to ensure our operations, inside and outside of the clinic walls, reflect that." In the past year the organization is proud to have focused heavily on the communities it serves.

• Organized or partnered with local agencies to participate in 34 neighborhood cleanups in the communities we serve.
• Led at least 181 group trainings on the use of naloxone to save lives beyond our doors.
• Pursued and were awarded $5.5M in project funding in support of initiatives that expand the company's Mission, enabling the development of pilot programs and more.

CMS is proud that patients and organizations take notice of the care put into opening and operating these clinics that are so critical to fighting the opioid epidemic, with 182 patients leaving 5-star reviews on Google and all 20 clinics surveyed this year receiving a 3-year CARF accreditation. Community Medical Services remains dedicated to providing evidence-based care to actively address the complex challenges associated with opioid use disorder. The organization looks forward to the future, continuing its commitment to the wellbeing of both individuals and communities.

 * Analysis from SDOH assessments conducted by medical providers at every visit, for every patient being treated with methadone from May 2022-June 2023. Excludes patients who transfer to CMS already on methadone from another program.

ABOUT COMMUNITY MEDICAL SERVICES
Community Medical Services (CMS) provides treatment for those struggling with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD), operating 71 clinics across 13 states. CMS's evidence-based practices are considered the gold standard to treat OUD, including medication-assisted treatment, counseling, and a judgment-free, compassionate environment.

For more information, visit CommunityMedicalServices.org.

CONTACT:
John Koch, [email protected]

SOURCE Community Medical Services