Integrating substance use peer support and screening brief intervention and referral to treatment services in the emergency department: a descriptive study of the ED leads program.

Background: The ED Leads program was introduced to 11 emergency departments (EDs) within New York City public hospitals from 2018 to 2019 to address a need for addiction support services in the ED. The purpose of this study is to (i) describe the ED Leads blended licensed-clinician and peer counselor team model in the ED at three hospitals, (ii) provide a descriptive analysis of patient engagement and referrals to substance use disorder (SUD) care post-intervention, and (iii) highlight potential barriers and facilitators to implementing the model.

Methods: The program intended to combine Screening Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment and peer support services.

Factors Associated With Severe Bacterial Infections in People Who Inject Drugs: A Single-center Observational Study.

Background: People who inject drugs are at increased risk for several bacterial infections such as bacteremia, endocarditis, and osteomyelitis resulting in severe morbidity and high care costs. Limited data exist surrounding the injection drug use practices and behaviors that may increase the risk of these infections.

Methods: Individuals admitted to a single hospital in New York City with severe bacterial infection, between August 2020 and June 2021, were recruited to partake in an in-depth survey examining potential factors, both demographic and injection drug use behavioral, associated with severe bacterial infections.

Telephonic Outreach to Engage Patients with Substance Use Disorder Post-Hospitalization During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

During the initial COVID-19 surge, one public hospital in NYC updated their post-discharge outreach approach for patients with substance use disorder, as part of the CATCH (Consult for Addiction Treatment and Care in Hospitals) program. Beginning April 1, 2020, three peers and two addiction counselors attempted telephonic outreach to patients who received a CATCH consultation during hospitalization from program launch (October 7, 2019) through March 31, 2020 (n = 329). Outreach calls could include counseling, in-depth peer support, and referrals to substance use services (SUS)-a significant expansion of the services offered via outreach pre-pandemic.

Increased Attendance During Rapid Implementation of Telehealth for Substance Use Disorders During COVID-19 at the Largest Public Hospital System in the United States.

Objective: The objective of this study is to examine differences between; telehealth and in-person visits during COVID-19 and in a pre-COVID-19 reference period; COVID-19 televisit completion for patients with varying engagement in treatment during the reference period.

Methods: Electronic medical record data were collected and analyzed with chi-squared or -tests to compare patient demographics. Generalized estimating equations for estimating the odds of outcomes were used, controlling for demographics.

Severe bacterial infections in people who inject drugs: the role of injection-related tissue damage.

Background: In the context of the current U.S. injection drug use epidemic, targeted public health harm reduction strategies have traditionally focused on overdose prevention and reducing transmission of blood-borne viral infections.

Rapid Telepsychiatry Implementation During COVID-19: Increased Attendance at the Largest Health System in the United States.

Objective: This study aimed to examine differences in completion rates between telepsychiatry and in-person visits during the COVID-19 pandemic and a prior reference period.

Methods: The authors used electronic medical record data along with chi-squared or t tests to compare patients' demographic characteristics. Generalized estimating equations for estimating the odds of primary and secondary outcomes were used, controlling for demographic characteristics.

Insight, Motivation and Outcome in Drug Treatment for Offenders: A Review of the Recent Literature.

Researchers in addiction and psychotherapy have long agreed that insight into problem severity and motivation for treatment are important client factors in successful treatment. For offenders these factors are linked to recidivism and relapse rates post-treatment. Authors in both fields agree that the combination of insight and motivation are key to positive treatment outcomes.

Dislikable Clients or Countertransference: A Clinician's Perspective.

Dislike of one's clients is a problem many clinicians encounter and it can have a drastic negative impact on client-clinician rapport, as well as the intervention outcome. Reasons for dislike can be varied and are not clearly known, as little research has been done on the topic. The purpose of this pilot study was to begin to understand how clinicians experience and navigate dislike for clients in practice.