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Reno County Health Department and Hutchinson Regional Medical Center Collaborate to Educate the Community about Medically Assisted Treatment
The Reno Recovery Collaborative, from the Reno County Health Department, teamed up with Hutchinson Regional Medical Center, and hosted an event to educate the community about Medically Assisted Treatment (MAT). This idea came from the subcommittee, “Treatment and Healthcare,” which is one of three subcommittees in the RRC.
A panel of key speakers gathered on Thursday night to share valuable insights. Gary Race and Thomas Simmons, from the Reno County Health Department, discussed their roles in the COSSUP (Comprehensive Opioid and Stimulant Substance Use Program) grant.
Thomas Simmons, who works on the Overdose Fatality Review (OFR), spoke about the board’s monthly meetings, which review overdose fatalities. He also provided updates on the overdose dashboard and works with key stakeholders to develop strategies to reduce overdose deaths in Reno County. Gary Race’s work focuses on MAT in correctional facilities, where he facilitates community partnerships between organizations offering MAT services and securing funding to help individuals access their MAT medications.
Alongside them were MAT providers Susan Rule and Brittny Patterson from Horizons, Dakotah Sanders from CARREFOUR through Horizons, and Dr. Benjamin Warren, a MAT provider from Wichita, KS.
The event welcomed a diverse audience, including individuals with lived experience, community corrections supervisors, and nurses who earned Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for attending. The collaborative successfully achieved its goal of educating the community and looks forward to hosting similar events in the future. A heartfelt thank you to all who participated!
Thomas Simmons, Reno County Health Department
Gary Race, Reno County Health Department, right.
Gary Race, Reno County Health Department
Dakotah Sanders, Horizon's Mental Health Center
Brittny Patterson, Horizon's Mental Health Center
Susan Rule, Horizon's Mental Health Center
Dr. Daniel Warren, Wichita
Seth Dewey, Mirror Inc. in Newton
Panelists answer questions after presentations
Niki Dinkel, KU Med Area Health Education Center