Virtual support

Taking the first step toward providing help with addiction recovery is now as simple as pushing a button.

Indiana University Health Jay Hospital will go live Monday with its new Virtual Addiction Recovery and Behavioral Health Support service, which allows emergency department staff to connect patients with peer counselors and other professionals via video.

“We’re really excited to offer this service to the community,” said Dave Hyatt, IU Health president of critical access hospitals for the east central region.

“Our entire community knows the challenges that we face with opioids and addiction and other behavioral health issues …”

The process of connecting patients with the appropriate resources is simple.

When they come to the emergency department at IU Health Jay, they are asked standard questions about smoking, drinking and drug use. Based on those answers, there could be an additional six questions. If most of those came back “yes,” a recovery coach should be called in.

But it’s not just about the answers, said Sarah Stillerman, one of the lead peer recovery coaches who was at IU Health Jay to train staff Friday morning along with colleague Danielle York.

“I don’t like to focus just on the yeses and nos,” said Stillerman, an alcoholic who has nine years of sobriety. “In my active addiction, if you ask me a bunch of questions, I’m probably going to lie to you just to get out of here. So, really the main focus is why are they here, what’s their visit reason, what’s their history and what’s your gut feeling.”

The reason for the visit could be something that makes the need obvious, such as a drug overdose. Or it could be something seemingly more innocuous, like abdominal pain.

If the healthcare provider deems it necessary, they request a consultation by simply pressing a button on a cart equipped with a mobile device. That will connect them with a peer counselor or behavioral health professional, depending on which is needed, in order to share any pertinent information.

The cart will then be rolled in to allow the counselor to meet one-on-one with the patient via video.

During that conversation, the counselor seeks to connect with the patient, assess needs and direct them to the appropriate resources. After it is complete, the patient pushes the call button in their room to alert a nurse to retrieve the cart.

The service, which is being offered at no charge to patients, includes follow-ups with the peer counselor at 48 hours, one week, two weeks, one month and then every three months up to a year in order to provide any necessary support.

“It’s so much more than helping somebody through a detox,” said Hyatt. “That’s just the first step.” 

Stillerman said often it’s the fact that she has been in the patient’s shoes that allows them to open up. All peer counselors have experienced addition and are in long-term recovery.

“Usually when I let them know that part of it, they’re … a little more willing to listen and speak to me,” she said. “I can connect with the patient on that peer level and let them know, ‘I’ve been in that bed before. I really do know how you’re feeling. This is what worked for me. This is what didn’t work for me. How can I help you today?’”

She noted that the goal is not just to get addicts into treatment but to remove barriers toward progress. For some, the top immediate priority might be food, shelter or getting their teeth fixed. Counselors can help connect them with those resources in hopes that once treatment can be an option after they are resolved.

Stillerman, whose recovery name is “Little Buddha,” was a “blackout drinker” every night by age 18. She went to school each day, turned in the minimal amount of work, got drunk in the evening and then repeated the cycle. She had multiple run-ins with police and was in the psych unit three times because of suicidal thoughts.

“I just hated myself,” she said.

The issues continued through a year of college at Vincennes University and then art school. 

It wasn’t until Stillerman’s family and friends finally realized how extreme the problem was and held an intervention that she was able to get the help she needed. That came in the form of an inpatient program first and then an outpatient program at IU Health Methodist in Indianapolis.

“One of the myths about recovery is that you have to hit rock bottom,” she said. “And that is not true.

“Rock bottom can be brought to anyone. That’s essentially what happened to me. I didn’t lose everything.”

Both IU Health Jay and Blackford hospitals are going live with the new service Monday. They are the eighth and ninth hospitals in the network to do so since it was launched at IU Health Frankfort in the fall. It is also available at IU Health Paoli, Bedford, Saxony (Fishers), Morgan (Martinsville), West (Avon) and Arnett (Lafayette) hospitals, with a goal of expanding it to the entire IU Health system.

Stillerman said the service, which is staffed 24/7, handled about 40 referrals this month.

One of its success stories involves a woman who had been using methamphetamine for eight years. She was interested in getting help, and the IU Health service got her into an inpatient treatment facility. She then went through another inpatient program followed by a month at Sober Living before returning home.

Stillerman said such a program could have helped her when she was struggling with addiction as well.

“I knew I had a problem for the longest time,” she said. “If I could have had (someone) sit here and say, ‘I do understand. This is my experience. And look at me now. Look at my accomplishments today. It doesn’t have to be like this.’”