Jack Amason has battled opiate drug use off and on for 35 years. He finally found the support he needed at the Arrowhead Regional Medical Center’s emergency department, when he was introduced to Medication Assisted Therapy (MAT) through Arrowhead’s new ED Bridge Program.

One of the three Inland Empire ED Bridge programs, St. Mary Medical Center in Apple Valley, was featured in the Victor Valley News, heavily quoting IEOCC steering committee member, Dr. Michael Sequeira.

The IEOCC learned more about the individuals leading harm reduction work in the Inland Empire at the IEOCC quarterly meeting on June 11th, when five representatives of the new local non-profit Inland Empire Harm Reduction presented their work and led a discussion.

“I am the point man in the emergency department for our ED Bridge program. ED Bridge is my first foray into Medication Assisted Therapy (MAT). I am one of those physicians who used to consider opioid addiction a test of will: ‘If you don’t like it, just quit.’

We are excited to launch this new regular feature with Riverside University Health System. RUHS Emergency Department and Addiction Medicine along with Behavioral Health are addressing opioid addiction in many ways: