NORWALK, CT — A substance use disorder (SUD) is a complex and often stigmatized health condition that affects countless individuals, families and communities. Stigma toward people with a SUD extends beyond individual and interpersonal levels. The Shatterproof Addiction Stigma Index (SASI) found that healthcare professionals hold similar stigmatizing beliefs toward someone with a SUD. Specifically, 65% of healthcare professionals falsely believe that a SUD isn’t a chronic disease.

Healthcare professional stigma is driven by inadequate education, training and lack of support in working with individuals with SUDs, which manifests as discrimination and substandard care. To address addiction stigma among healthcare professionals, Shatterproof, a leading national nonprofit organization dedicated to reversing the addiction health crisis, is teaming up with Anthem Blue Cross Foundation and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation to bring additional learning to the healthcare community, reduce stigma of individuals with SUDs and improve quality of care. The partners will disseminate an educational curriculum centered around substance use and the impact of intersectional stigma.

Through this partnership, the organizations have developed an educational curriculum, A Provider’s Pathway to Supporting Patients with Substance Use Disorder, to help decrease stigma as a barrier to people’s ability to receive evidence-based treatment for a SUD. Additionally, healthcare professionals will be equipped to provide culturally responsive care for communities that have been marginalized in the U.S. healthcare system, specifically the Hispanic/Latino community. The pilot will occur in the following communities:

Bronx County: In the state of New York alone, there was a 64% increase in overdose fatalities among the Hispanic/Latino population from 2016 to 2020. Bronx County, specifically, landed in the top quartile of overdose fatality rates in the state between 2018 and 2020, at 30.4 per 100,000 people. Additionally, Bronx County is in the top quartile in the state for the adult (18-64) Hispanic/Latino population at 35%, and scores high on the CDC Social Vulnerability Index.
Foundation Name: Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation

Kern County, CA: In California alone, the Hispanic/Latino population overdose fatality rate was 5.5 times higher from 2016 to 2020. Specifically, Kern County landed in the top quartile of overdose fatality rates in the state between 2018 and 2020, at 30.6 per 100,000 people. Additionally, Kern County is in the top quartile in the state for the adult (18-64) Hispanic/Latino population at 32%, and scores high on the CDC’s Social Vulnerability Index.
Foundation Name: Anthem Blue Cross Foundation

Marion County, IN: The Hispanic/Latino population experienced the largest increase (by 131%) in overdose fatalities compared to all other subpopulations in the past 5 years. Marion County, specifically, landed in the top quartile of overdose fatality rates in the state between 2018 and 2020, at 43.5 per 100,000 people. Additionally, Marion County is in the top quartile in the state for the adult (18-64) Hispanic/Latino population at 5.9%, and scores high on the CDC Social Vulnerability Index. Foundation Name: Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation

Lucas and Mahoning Counties: The Hispanic/Latino population experienced the largest increase (by 115%) in overdose fatalities compared to all other subpopulations and increased by two times from 24% in 2016 to more than 51% in 2020. Lucas and Mahoning Counties, specifically, landed in the top quartile of overdose fatality rates in the state between 2018 and 2020, at 50.4 and 48.2 per 100,000 people. Additionally, Lucas County and Mahoning County are in the top quartile in the state for the adult (18-64) Hispanic/Latino population at 4.1% and 3.9% and score high on the CDC Social Vulnerability Index. Foundation Name: Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation

Richmond and Roanoke: In Virginia alone, there was a 54% increase in overdose fatalities among Hispanic/Latino individuals from 2016 to 2020. The cities of Richmond and Roanoke, specifically, landed in the top quartile of overdose fatality rates in the state between 2018 and 2020, at 45.7 and 53.3 per 100,000 people. Additionally, 4.6% of Richmond’s adult (18-64) population and 3.7% of Roanoke’s adult population is Hispanic/Latino and both cities score high on the CDC Social Vulnerability Index. Foundation Name: Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation

These factors make the above locations viable candidates for curriculum dissemination.
 

The curriculum will be shared with doctors, advanced practice registered nurses and physician assistants, so they can better understand how best to address people’s unique treatment needs. Practitioners will access the curriculum through an online platform, and recruitment will be conducted through a multi-pronged strategy, including professional associations and local healthcare systems.

To measure the efficacy of the curriculum, providers will be required to participate in a pre- and post-curriculum evaluation, in exchange for the no-cost CME/CE credits earned by completing the course and participating in the study. Clinicians who complete the course are demonstrating their commitment to improving the levels of care provided to patients with SUDs, while having a positive impact on substance use and SUD research.

“Healthcare professional stigma further disadvantages populations who have less access to care and support,” said Gary Mendell, founder and CEO of Shatterproof. “In the United States, intersections between race/ethnicity, health inequities and substance use are well-documented. For example, Hispanic/Latino individuals needing SUD treatment (21%) are less likely to receive care compared to non-Hispanic/Latino individuals (25%). In partnership with Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation, Shatterproof will better the lives of people in recovery, people who use drugs, and people seeking treatment for substance use disorders.”

The funding for the partnership is through the Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation, a philanthropic arm of the Elevance Health Foundation. This work is part of a larger commitment of $30 million dedicated by Elevance Health Foundation to support programs that address mental health, with an emphasis on substance use disorder. Each program the Foundation invests in will focus on one of the following goals: prevention and early intervention of risk factors that lead to substance use disorders, improved access and quality of treatment to reduce morbidity and mortality of those with substance use disorders, and community support to promote lifelong recovery.

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CONTACT:
Lauren Lawson-Zilai
Shatterproof
press@shatterproof.org

About Shatterproof
Shatterproof is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to reversing the addiction crisis in the U.S.  Shatterproof is focused on guiding communities, removing systematic barriers to recovery, mobilizing the country to advocate for change and ending addiction stigma in the U.S. Find Shatterproof on Facebook, X and YouTube: @ShatterproofHQ or follow them on Instagram at @weareshatterproof. To learn more, visit www.Shatterproof.org. If you are experiencing anxiety, depression or a substance use disorder, text HELLO to 741741 for help.

About Shatterproof Treatment Atlas
The first resource in the United States to offer many unique features, Treatment Atlas is a confidential, free-to-the-public, nonprofit platform that is publicly available to help people find and compare addiction treatment facilities for SUDs, including alcohol and drugs, so they can make informed decisions for their care. People with a SUD or their loved ones can search the online platform based on criteria, such as location, use of best practices, types of treatment offered, accepted insurers, payment options, specialty populations served, and patient experiences. The platform is currently live in 14 states, including California, and offers a comprehensive list of addiction treatment providers across each respective state, including inpatient, residential, intensive outpatient, and outpatient sites of care. People can also answer ten anonymous questions that assess an individual’s risk and severity to get initial guidance on which addiction treatment options might be best for them. The online screener to assist in guiding the public to the appropriate type of care is informed and endorsed by the American Society of Addiction Medicine. Treatment Atlas includes multilingual education, public awareness, and training materials available in several languages, including English, Spanish, Chinese, and Creole. Region-specific materials are created to meet unique community needs, and provider profiles on Treatment Atlas list if services are provided in other languages.