Preventative Health Care And Action On Opioid Crisis
Challenge
Detroit’s only dental clinic providing critical services faced closure and how would our government deal with the opioid crisis.
Approach
Acuitas collaborated with city and university officials to develop a strategy to educate and inform key policy makers about the importance of services provided by the health clinic including preventative health care, urgent care, acute illness and a fully medical office and diagnostic lab. Related to opioids, Acuitas developed a strategy and implemented a solution to fund a groundbreaking proactive approach to understanding opioid pain medication interaction with specific genes, thereby improving treatment and patient care.
Results
A bipartisan group of legislators provided funding in an annual appropriation that helped the clinic’s ability to deliver on their mission to change lives through preventative oral health care delivery and training the next generation of dentists. The opioid study work expanded to include veterans and mental health and well as behavioral health services.