Q&A
Exploration of substance use treatment and its intersection with mental health services
2:41:09
·
162 sec
Council Member Brewer inquires about the availability and effectiveness of substance use treatment programs, particularly for individuals with co-occurring mental health issues. Jamie Neckles discusses the approach to handling such cases.
- Mental health care providers are expected to assess for substance use and take a harm reduction approach
- Programs aim to welcome individuals with substance use issues, not reject them
- Emphasis on providing overdose reversal capabilities and access to medication-assisted treatment
- The discussion highlights the complexity of addressing co-occurring mental health and substance use issues
Gale Brewer
2:41:09
And finally, those who have drug overdose are just drug issues in general, Are there enough programs?
2:41:17
Are the hours correct?
2:41:19
Is the service there, etcetera?
2:41:21
That because I have a lot of friends who are judges, and this is an issue for them.
2:41:25
They say they are not enough programs for the individuals who come before them in court, and they are trying to find the right services.
2:41:32
They say they're not there.
2:41:33
So is that something that you feel is sufficient?
2:41:37
A lot of them are state funded.
2:41:39
I know an oversight by the state.
2:41:40
I used to be on board for 25 years of drug treatment program.
2:41:43
I know these programs Just help me walk me through somebody who's got a drug issue.
2:41:50
He's EMS is there.
2:41:52
Maybe police are there.
2:41:53
How do how does that get handled?
Jamie Neckles
2:41:57
Not easy.
2:41:59
So I think you asked about police or AMS, I think the drug overdoses are a horrible problem that our city is focused on turning the tide on the overdose epidemic I think this hearing is focused on mental health crises or something
Gale Brewer
2:42:14
like that.
2:42:14
Mentally ill and how
Jamie Neckles
2:42:16
Absolutely.
2:42:16
Absolutely.
2:42:17
But I'm not prepared to talk about substance use treatment capacity.
2:42:19
I think that was the question you're asking, and I don't have those details here today.
Gale Brewer
2:42:22
Okay.
2:42:23
So it's a the person is also mentally ill.
2:42:26
How would that play a role, and using drugs.
Jamie Neckles
2:42:32
Yeah, so certainly that's common.
2:42:33
And I think we very expect and require all of our mental health care providers to be able to assess substance use Mhmm.
2:42:43
Take a harm reduction approach Right.
2:42:45
To welcome the person into the services, not to reject and say, oh, sorry.
2:42:48
You're using you're not welcome here.
2:42:50
That's unacceptable.
2:42:51
And so we want all those folks to feel welcome in our programs to be able to do overdose reversals, right, through naloxone and get people access to things like medication assisted treatment through their mental health programs so they can get evidence based care for their Okay.
Gale Brewer
2:43:06
So something like that would be able to be dealt with if you see there's a mental health aspect to that person.
2:43:13
Absolutely.
2:43:14
What would you do with that person who would he go to Bellevue in Manhattan?
2:43:18
Where would one take that person?
2:43:20
With a mental health issue, and obviously using drugs.
Jamie Neckles
2:43:25
Sure.
2:43:25
So I think I don't know that I'm answering your question about where we would take a person.
2:43:29
I'm talking about the sort of care that we would provide.
2:43:31
And so most people are getting care in the community Okay.
2:43:34
Where where they live.
2:43:35
So I talked out a medication assisted treatment and overdose prevention in our can.
Gale Brewer
2:43:40
Okay.
2:43:41
I mean, alright, it's not what I see on the street.
2:43:44
I have to tell you.
2:43:45
And then just finally on the data tracking Are you I understand there's been a lot of data questions today.
