“First Responders for Recovery” program aims to end opioid addiction in Richmond, Virginia

YouTube/Richmond Ambulance Authority   The Richmond Ambulance Authority (RAA) and Richmond City Health District (RCHD) announced, in recognition of International Overdose Awareness Day, a new partnership and program to combat the opioid crisis in the City of Richmond. “First Responders for Recovery” is an evidence based program aimed at connecting addicts to recovery resources in the Metro Richmond area. At the center of the new program is RCHD’s new Peer Recovery Specialist Courtney Nunnally. Courtney is a recovering heroin and cocaine addict who now dedicates her life to helping others recover from addiction. “If you’re anything like me, you’ve burned some bridges. I had no one left. I wanted to die. I thought everyone was better off without me. I didn’t see the point in living as a slave to heroin but I was offered HOPE,” said Courtney. “This program is a way for me to give others hope and a path to recovery and I really believe it will save lives.” Through “First Responders for Recovery,” Courtney uses her own experiences as an addict to give paramedics and EMTs a new perspective on what patients who overdose may be experiencing when they are revived. She teaches paramedics and EMTs different methods they can use to encourage patients to sign a “First Responders for Recovery” release form. The release form allows RAA to share the patient’s contact information with RCHD. Within 48 hours, RCHD’s Peer Recovery Specialist contacts the pati...
Source: JEMS Patient Care - Category: Emergency Medicine Tags: Patient Care Administration and Leadership Press Releases Source Type: news