More than 200 addiction medicine, social services and law enforcement professionals registered to attend the second annual opioid summit in Mississippi at the Oxford Conference Center.
Hosted by the Baptist Memorial Health Care Center of Excellence in Addiction Medicine and MississippiCare, the event addressed opioid and screen addictions, as well as best practices to address these issues in Mississippi and throughout the United States.
“Opioid addiction continues to be an important issue for Mississippi,” said Derick Ziegler, vice president/chief transformation officer for Baptist Memorial Health Care. “This disease has a devastating effect on Mississippi communities, and Baptist’s Center of Excellence in Addiction Medicine is working with medical, law enforcement and social services experts to provide meaningful solutions and treatment options.”
Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch, ARcare Chief Strategy Officer Joey Flowers, and Baptist Memorial Health Care Vice President/Chief Transformation Officer Derick Ziegler were the opening speakers for the event. Fitch explained the scope of Mississippi’s fentanyl problem, sharing that more than 200 people died from fentanyl overdoses in Mississippi in 2023.
“Opioid addiction continues to be a threat for Mississippi,” said Joey Flowers, chief strategy officer for ARCare. “We think the best solution is a multitiered approach that brings together leaders and experts in the state who are dedicated to helping victims and developing a prevention strategy. The Mississippi Opioid Summit is just what we need to get us started on this healing journey in Mississippi.”
Carlton Hall, president and CEO of Carlton Hall Consulting LLC, gave the keynote address about prioritizing prevention. Other speakers included representatives from the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics and other professionals working in the addiction medicine sector. Mike Eiden, licensed clinical social worker and clinical alcohol and drug counselor, discussed screen addiction and its prevalence, symptoms and treatments.
Breakout sessions provided an opportunity for attendees to network and learn how to understand the role of health care providers in supporting individuals who use recreational drugs, reducing stigma around addiction and providing ongoing support and aftercare during recovery.
Baptist Memorial Health Care and Integrated Addiction Care Associates (now Connections Wellness Group) formed the Center of Excellence in Addiction Medicine in 2019 to provide immediate, comprehensive treatment for patients who present to Baptist with substance and alcohol use disorders. In 2022, Baptist Center of Excellence in Addiction Medicine collaborated with MississippiCare to identify post-acute, follow-up care for patients with opioid use and/or alcohol use disorder in Mississippi.
MississippiCare is a Federally Qualified Health Center that provides primary care, behavioral health, nutrition services and a variety of additional services, including clinical pharmacy consults, to all individuals regardless of their ability to pay. Baptist and MississippiCare’s collaboration resulted in a Health Resources & Services Administration Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP)-Medication Assisted Treatment access grant to increase access points to treatment and provide medications and supportive services to individuals with opioid use disorder and/or alcohol use disorder.
