OCONOMOWOC, Wis. — While opioid use disorder remains an urgent national crisis, Rogers Behavioral Health’s new Wisconsin Opioid Recovery Telehealth Immediate Treatment (WORTH IT) program makes effective medication treatment conveniently available the same or next business day.
Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) using medications such as buprenorphine is associated with reduced opioid overdoses. Buprenorphine, FDA-approved for the treatment of opioid use disorder, reduces cravings for opioids as well as withdrawal symptoms. According to a recent Mental Health America report, though MAT is the most effective treatment for opioid use disorder, access to medications such as buprenorphine has been limited, especially in the Midwest.
Rogers addresses challenges to accessibility with its new WORTH IT telehealth program, funded by a multimillion-dollar grant from the State of Wisconsin. The WORTH IT program makes buprenorphine available to people with opioid use disorder on the same or next business day.
“WORTH IT offers a critically important opportunity to expand access to life-saving care,” says Cindy Meyer, MSSW, Rogers’ president and CEO. “By making this evidence-based treatment more accessible, we are meeting people where they are and supporting them with compassion, dignity, and hope.”
In 2023, there were 1,421 opioid-related deaths in Wisconsin, according to the latest data from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.
“While opioid use disorder is devastating and deadly, we also know there are proven ways to treat individuals. Our goal is to be part of the solution, offering easy-to-access medication-assisted treatment that can give people their lives back,” says Michelle Maloney, PhD, NCSE, LPC, CAADC, CRPS, Rogers’ executive director of Addiction Services. “We’ve designed the program to be accessible to people who face barriers in traditional models of care, working diligently to make sure our care is respectful, culturally humble, and judgment-free.”
As part of the WORTH IT program, Rogers will offer optional wraparound services including therapy and counseling, case management, OB/GYN referrals for pregnant and postpartum patients, ongoing medication management and recovery support, and harm reduction education and resources.
Funding for the WORTH IT program is made possible by SAMHSA and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services through the State Opioid Response grant.
For more information, please visit Rogers’ website. For access to buprenorphine, call 844-582-7827 or email worthit@rogersbh.org to learn more.
About Rogers
Rogers Behavioral Health is a nationally recognized, not-for-profit provider of mental health and addiction services. Rogers offers evidence-based treatment for adults, children, and adolescents with depression and other mood disorders, eating disorders, addiction, OCD and anxiety disorders, trauma, and PTSD. In addition to locations in California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Washington, Rogers operates three inpatient behavioral health hospitals, 17 residential programs and nine centers offering PHP and IOP treatment in Wisconsin. Outpatient services for medication management and psychiatric evaluations are offered virtually and in-person in Wisconsin. Telehealth services are offered in California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Minnesota, Tennessee, Washington, and Wisconsin.
The System also includes Ladish Co. Foundation Center, home to Rogers Research Center, the Rogers Foundation, and the Ronald McDonald Family Room®. In addition, Rogers leads the nationwide WISE coalition with the goal of eliminating stigma related to mental health and substance use disorders. Learn more at rogersbh.org.
