CRANSTON – Launched this month, a new state hotline is helping people with opioid addiction, or who are suffering from opioid withdrawal, find help quickly.
The Buprenorphine Hotline, at (401) 606-5456, is a joint effort between the R.I. Department of Health and the R.I. Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals.
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Brown Emergency Medicine, Lifespan Recovery Center and the Rhode Island Hospital Center for Primary Care Recovery Clinic are also lending resources to the effort.
The line is staffed around the clock and connects callers with physicians who prescribe buprenorphine to treat opioid addiction, as well as outpatient treatment resources.
“During the COVID-19 pandemic, we have to be even more proactive, deliberate and innovative in getting resources and supports to people living with substance use disorder,” said Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott, Rhode Island’s health director. “The Buprenorphine Hotline allows someone to take the first step in their journey of recovery simply by picking up the phone, no matter the day or time.”
In response to the COVID-19 crisis, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration have allowed physicians to begin prescribing buprenorphine to patients after an initial telehealth visit.
“During this time of social distancing and stress about health and employment, it is especially important to ensure that treatment is available for individuals who want to recover from opioid use disorder,” said Kathryn Power, acting director of the R.I. Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals.
