FSSA Secretary: Addiction Treatment Program Exceeds Expectations

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Original story from IPBS-RJC

Brandon Smith

Article origination IPBS-RJC

FSSA Secretary Jennifer Walthall says Open Beds has cut down the time to connect addiction disorder patients to treatment.
*FILE: Ryan Flanery/WFYI News*

Indiana Family and Social Services Administration Secretary Jennifer Walthall says the state’s new Open Beds program has exceeded all expectations in its first six weeks. Open Beds is a partnership between FSSA and Indiana 2-1-1 to connect those in need of addiction treatment with local resources.

The program has served more than 100 people in its first six weeks. And Walthall says it’s significantly cut down the time it takes to connect them to the help they need, as in the case of a 23-year-old with a heroin addiction.

“Within four hours of his call and referral via Open Beds, he was scheduled for treatment assessment and now is successfully in outpatient treatment,” Walthall says.

Walthall says the program has already expanded its 24-hour services and plans to add nearly two dozen more treatment systems it can refer patients to.

Tags:Indiana Family and Social Services Administration addiction

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