Pittsburgh (September 21, 2020) – The UPMC Center for High-Value Health Care (Center), a nonprofit research organization housed within UPMC Health Plan, was awarded $1 million from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). This funding will support enhanced access, quality, and outcomes for individuals in Bedford and Somerset counties with substance use disorder (SUD), particularly opioid use disorder.

The work funded by the award will be implemented by a consortium of organizations including Community Care Behavioral Health (Community Care), Behavioral Health Services of Somerset and Bedford Counties, and the Single County Authorities (SCAs) for Bedford and Somerset counties. The award will support the development, expansion, and enhancement of a clinical model for the use of medication assisted treatment and seeks to integrate care across health care and social service organizations to improve health outcomes of individuals with SUD. This model emphasizes prevention, treatment, and recovery to improve the identification, engagement, and retention of individuals with a SUD in treatment and long-term recovery.

“Every September, during National Recovery month, we take time to reflect and celebrate the gains made by those in recovery. But we also challenge ourselves as a community to continue to promote and support recovery practices and the dedicated providers and community members who help to make recovery possible,” said James Schuster, MD, MBA, associate chief medical officer and senior vice president of Medical and Behavioral Services, UPMC Insurance Services Division, and chief medical officer of Community Care. “The theme for 2020 National Recovery Month, Join the Voices for Recovery: Celebrating Connections, reflects this collaborative effort to create better and more accessible paths to recovery for individuals in Bedford and Somerset counties.”

Both Bedford and Somerset counties have identified lack of access to substance use treatment services, especially medication assisted treatment, as a key challenge for their residents. This funding recognizes the needs of these communities and will enhance both prevention and treatment options for residents.

“This project will allow the Center and Community Care to leverage our existing efforts on behalf of Bedford and Somerset counties to address the behavioral health needs of our members in these communities,” said Matthew O. Hurford, MD, president and CEO of Community Care. “We are proud to move forward on this initiative, in coordination with our partners, to identify gaps in care, support data-informed policy decisions, set benchmarks for quality, and improve outcomes for individuals with SUD.”

This award is the second for the Center that focuses on SUD. The first award was announced in 2017 as a collaboration with the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Program to expand, enhance, and evaluate access to medication-assisted treatment in Blair, Clinton, Erie, and Lycoming counties. This effort is still underway.

This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $1,000,000 with 100% percentage funded by HRSA/HHS and $0 amount and 0% percentage funded by nongovernment source(s). The contents are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA/HHS, or the U.S. Government.

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About the UPMC Center for High-Value Health Care

The UPMC Center for High-Value Health Care, housed within UPMC Insurance Services, translates the work of the UPMC Health Plan, Community Care Behavioral Health, and the organization’s additional integrated partner organizations into evidence-based practice and policy change for improving health care quality and efficiency and the overall health of the population. Many activities are conducted in UPMC’s unique payer-provider laboratory and supported through grants and contracts carried out in partnership with community organizations and government agencies. UPMC is a global health enterprise and one of the nation’s largest integrated health care delivery and financing systems. UPMC and UPMC Insurance Services recognize and embrace the value of collaboration in achieving an equitable, high-quality, and efficient health care system that meets the needs of diverse populations. For more information, visit www.upmchighvaluehealthcare.com.

About Community Care Behavioral Health Organization

Community Care Behavioral Health, a nonprofit, tax-exempt recovery-focused behavioral health managed care organization headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, manages mental health and substance use disorder services for Medical Assistance recipients in 41 Pennsylvania counties. Part of UPMC, Community Care was incorporated in 1996 with a mission to improve the health and well-being of the community through the promotion of effective and accessible behavioral health services. For more information, visit www.ccbh.com.