Artwork stating 'Education Destroys Barriers', 'We Demand Treatment', and 'I Need A Chance'

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  • Contact Tracers in Massachusetts Might Order Milk or Help With Rent. Here's Why.

    In Massachusettes, contact tracers for COVID-19 are tasked with an additional responsibility that includes acting as a care resource coordinator to better help those they're interacting with make "the best choice for the public." So far, approximately 10-15% of those who have been contacted as part of contact tracing efforts have utilized the assistance service which has helped them stay isolated while still having access to necessities such as "food, medicine, masks and cleaning supplies."

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  • A COVID ‘silver lining': You can start drug treatment over the phone — and more people are starting to

    Although COVID-19 has taken a toll on the healthcare industry, some providers and clinics have figured out a way to eliminate barriers during this time for those seeking treatment. According to the director of the Behavioral Health Institute at Harborview Medical Center in Washington, the healthcare industry has seen "at least five years worth of progress happen in four months" due to the implementation of telemedicine. While this isn't a longterm replacement for in-person visits, many doctors are reporting a rise in patient appointments via this system.

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  • How the Pandemic Defeated America

    The U.S. has recorded a worldwide record number of COVID-19 cases after missteps and overall lack of action from the federal government limited the nation's response, but in some areas of the country where local institutions and communities enacted their own safety measures, lessons have emerged despite the national failure. Additionally, early surveys have indicated that the majority of Americans are still practing social distancing and support mask-wearing, even without the federal guidance.

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  • Using Telemedicine to Treat Opioid Addiction

    The coronavirus pandemic has largely led to the expansion and adoption of telemedicine, which has helped those seeking treatment for addictions more easily access care. Although advocates of medication-assisted treatment have been working to eliminate barriers to virtual care for years, the pandemic has accelerated these efforts and the outcome has been successful. According to the associate executive director of Prevention Point Philadelphia, “It’s a reduction of the hassle, wait times, anxiety and fear of withdrawal in a waiting room."

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  • The Coronavirus Is Blowing Up Our Best Response to the Opioid Crisis

    The coronavirus pandemic has correlated with an increase in overdose deaths in the United States, likely due to people going against one of the "central tenets of safety when using drugs: Never use alone" as well as governments' longstanding stigma against allowing supervised consumption sites. To overcome this, a harm reduction service in Midland, Michigan is connecting volunteer operators with "people who have no choice but to use alone" via telephone as a means to offer help if something goes wrong.

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  • A tale of two pandemics: Is COVID-19 repeating the mistakes of HIV's past? Audio icon

    As Covid-19 spread throughout regions of South Africa, public health clinics began reporting seeing fewer patients for HIV viral load testing due to shelter-in-place orders. In trying to mitigate the longterm implications of people missing their appointments, a few HIV specialists have joined the frontlines in local communities to act as both coronavirus testers and information conduits for HIV programs.

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  • As Long Waits for Results Render COVID Tests ‘Useless,' States Seek Workarounds

    To better serve those who have been tested for coronavirus, but have experienced a significant delay in receiving their results, states across the nation are experimenting with distributing the load of tests to various lab companies, as opposed to relying on just one. While this isn't the only method in place to fix the testing backlog, states that have already implemented a decentralized model – such as Texas – are seeing results delivered at a much quicker pace, and now other states – such as Montana – are turning to similar systems.

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  • Community Workers Lend Human Connection To COVID-19 Response

    Community health workers have long been helping people navigate the intersection of health care and social services in the United States, such as in Philadelphia, where one program stands out for its overall design and continuous rigorous evaluation. Studies of the program indicate that those who worked with community health workers improved their overall health compared to those who received standard care. Now, as many cities navigate the Covid-19 pandemic, some officials see an opportunity to expand the workforce to also provide "social, material and psychological support."

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  • These doctors brought a shuttered L.A. hospital back to life to fight coronavirus

    A formerly closed hospital reopened as a pop-up health care facility in Los Angeles County to help provide health services for a predominantly Latino community during the coronavirus pandemic. Although it was only open for just over a month and operating costs were high, the facility was a unique opportunity for the healthcare providers involved to "create their own healthcare system and practice medicine unconstrained by medical corporations and insurance companies."

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  • Program helps New York home health agency face coronavirus challenges in real time

    A change in communication policies and outreach procedures has helped the UR Medicine Home Care program retain employees during the coronavirus pandemic, despite increasingly difficult work conditions. Part of this effort has included leaders from the program committing to daily check-ins with staff members to discuss work and personal concerns and then addressing those concerns through actions such as implementing child care options.

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