1. The Opioid Epidemic: The Indian Health Service Response to a National Crisis
IHS National Committee on Heroin, Opioids, and Pain Efforts (HOPE Committee)
CAPT Stephen “Miles” Rudd, MD, FAAFP
Chief Medical Officer/Deputy Director, Portland Area IHS
Chair, IHS National Committee on Heroin, Opioids, and Pain Efforts (HOPE)

2. “To raise the physical, mental, social, and
Mission
“To raise the physical, mental, social, and
spiritual health of American Indians and Alaska Natives to the highest level”

3. Drug-Related Death Rates
CDC data indicates that American Indians and Alaska Natives had the highest drug overdose death rates in 2015 (metropolitan: 22.1; nonmetropolitan: 19.8) and the largest percentage change increase in the number of deaths from (nonmetropolitan: 519%) among racial/ethnic groups in the US.
“American Indians and Alaska Natives had the highest drug overdose death rates in 2015, and the largest percentage change increase in drug overdose deaths from of any population at 519 percent.”
Mack KA, et. al., Illicit Drug Use, Illicit Drug Use Disorders, and Drug Overdose Deaths in metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Areas- United States, MMWR, Vol 66 (19) October 20, 2017, pp 1-12.

4. Opioid Overdose Death Rates
CDC data indicates that American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) had the second highest overdose death from rates from all opioids in 2016 (13.9 deaths/100,000 population) among racial/ethnic groups in the US.
AI/AN had the second highest overdose death rates from heroin (5.0)
AI/AN had the third highest from synthetic opioids (4.1)
AI/AN were the only racial/ethnic group to show a decline in prescription opioid overdose death rates between (7.1% relative decrease).
Seth PS, et. al., Overdose deaths involving opioids, cocaine, and psychostimulants- United States, , MMWR, Vol 67 (12) March 30, 2018, pp

5. National Committee on Heroin, Opioids, and Pain Efforts (HOPE)
New IHS Committee created in March 2017
Evolved out of the Prescription Drug Abuse Workgroup
Membership: physicians, pharmacists, behavioral health providers, nursing consultation, and epidemiologists
Goals:
Promote appropriate and effective pain management.
Reduce overdose deaths from heroin and prescription opioid misuse.
Improve access to culturally appropriate treatment.

6. Policy Efforts
IHM Part 3, Chapter 30- Chronic Non-Cancer Pain Management
Published in June 2014.
Provides best practice guidelines surrounding management of chronic non-cancer pain.
Revised (2/2018) to ensure alignment with CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain- United States, 2016.
IHM Part 3, Chapter 32- State Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs
Published June 2016.
Establishes requirement for IHS Federal prescribers to register with State PDMP to request reports for new patients, and when pre-scribing opiates for acute pain (>7 days of treatment) and chronic pain.
Establishes requirement for IHS Pharmacies to report dispensing data and conduct PDMP queries prior to dispensing outside prescriptions.

7. Policy Efforts
IHM Part 3, Chapter 35- Dispensing of Naloxone to First Responders
Published in March 2018.
Establishes requirements for local policies in regards to IHS-operated pharmacies to provide naloxone to law enforcement agencies and other first responders.
Codifies IHS responsibilities regarding an IHS-BIA Memorandum of Understanding- December 2015 (renewed June 2017).
Pending policy Internet Eligible Controlled Substance Provider Designation

8. Clinician Supports IHS Websites
Pain Management
Opioid Dependence Management
Pending- responsible disposal, dental care guidelines

9. Clinician Supports
IHS Chronic Pain and Opioid Management TeleECHO Clinic
Weekly video conference
Allows front-line clinicians to consult with experts in:
Pain management
Addictions
Behavioral Health
Weekly format rotating to noon hour for each time zone.

10. Safe Opioid Prescribing Training
IHS Essential Training on Pain and Addiction (ETPA)
IHS specific training developed with cooperation by the University of New Mexico.
Web-based live trainings (5 hour course) conducted since Jan
Now available as web-based recorded training.
IHS Special General Memorandum : Mandatory Training for Federal Prescribers of Controlled Substance Medications
All IHS Federal prescribers of controlled substances are required to complete EPTA training within 6 months of employment and refresher training every 3 years.
By the end of 2016, 2931 participants had completed the ETPA course.
1296 IHS Federal controlled substance prescribers (96%).
IHS Refresher Training on Pain and Addiction- 2018
Pending- Basic opioid training for all IHS employees

11. Naloxone—First Responder
IHS-BIA Memorandum of Understanding- December 2015 (renewed June 2017)
Agreement that IHS Federal pharmacies will provide
naloxone and training on its use to local BIA Tribal Police
for use by First Responders.
Resources:
IHS pharmacists have developed a training
curriculum and toolkit.
Training video developed:
Officer Testimony Video:

12. Naloxone—Co-Prescribing
Co-prescribing grand rounds conducted February 17, 2017
Pharmacy-based model collaborative practice program developed
Journal of the American Pharmacists Association  , S135-S140DOI: ( /j.japh )

13. Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT)
Medication-assisted treatment is treatment for addiction that includes:
The use of medicine
Counseling
Support systems
Treatment that includes medication is often the best choice for opioid addiction.
If a person is addicted, medication allows him or her to regain a normal state of mind, free of drug-induced highs and lows.
It frees the person from thinking of all the time about the drug.
It can reduce problems of withdrawal and craving.
These changes can give the person the chance to focus on the lifestyle changes that lead back to healthy living.

14. Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT)
Office-Based Opioid Treatment Training
Live web-based training sponsored by American Osteopathic Academy of Addiction Medicine and SAMHSA.
Provides 8 hours needed to obtain waiver to prescribe buprenorphine in an office-based setting:
Webinar training (4.25 hrs)- 3 modules
Online study/exam (3.75 hrs)- 5 modules, 24 questions.
Pain Skills Intensive Training
Included optional 4 hour MAT training.
Next training planned for Fall 2018 in Oklahoma City, OK
Previously in Bemidji, Albuquerque, and Portland Areas

15. A look on the horizon…
Host tribal consultation sessions to communicate HOPE updates and obtain feedback from tribes regarding the annual work plan.
Sessions to date: NCC, DST, USET, 2017 AI/AN Behavioral Health Conference, NCAI
Expand myofascial pain training combined with DATA waiver training
Expand availability of controlled substance disposal services
Develop dental acute pain prescribing guideline
YouTube MAT video series for tribal and local leadership education
Research components of safe syringe exchange programs and determine mechanisms to conduct harm reduction services in collaboration with local tribal programs

16. Promulgate best and promising practices for reducing NOWS incidence in pregnant and parenting populations that include early access to MAT
Identify mechanisms to increase access to prenatal care services for substance using mothers
Metrics: nationally naloxone dispensing and utilization; develop regional and local data collection and analysis tools to assist sites and areas with identifying current status, trends, and impact of interventions (e.g.: MMEs; percentage of opioid prescriptions per 100 patients; concurrent MME >90 + Benzodiazepine)

17. Questions Officers: Prescriber Support: Chris Fore, PhD
Chair- CAPT Stephen “Miles” Rudd, MD-
Vice Chair- CAPT Cindy Gunderson, PharmD-
Secretary- LT Brandon Anderson, PharmD-
Prescriber Support: Chris Fore, PhD
Medication Assisted Treatment: CDR Kailee Fretland, PharmD
Harm Reduction: CDR Hillary Duvivier, PharmD
Perinatal Substance Use: Jonathan Gilbert, MD; CDR Ted Hall, PharmD
Metrics: Tamara James, PhD; CAPT Thomas Weiser, MD
Technical Assistance: CDR Tyler Lannoye, PharmD
Website & Communications: LT Kristin Allmaras, PharmD
Executive Leadership Committee: RADM Michael Toedt, MD, Beverly Cotton, DNP, CAPT Kevin Brooks, PharmD, CDR Joel Beckstead, MD