The Colorado Department of Human Services, Office of Behavioral Health recently funded an update to the overdose reversal application OpiRescue, which connects users with resources for opioid addiction.
OpiRescue, created by OpiSafe in 2015, helps individuals recognize the signs of opioid overdoses so that preventative steps such reversing the overdose with naloxone can be taken. With the added update funded by the Office of Behavioral Health, the app can now help it’s users locate treatment options and connect them with medication-assisted treatment — typically paired with non-drug therapies like counseling.
“The update to OpiRescue brings technology into the fight against opioid-related deaths, “said Dr. Robert Werthwein, director at the Office of Behavioral Health. “The updated app will not only help prevent overdose deaths, it will also help people work toward recovery by accessing treatment and support.”
OpiRescue will maintain an up-to-date database of treatment providers to ensure users can find treatment options when needed. The treatment locator compiles data from both national and local databases maintained by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, SAMHSA, OBH and more. The app already has more than 10,000 downloads, and users have reported 592 overdose reversals since it’s launch.