Risk Management in the OTP (October 17, 2004) (Powerpoint)

Barbara A.M. Maloney, Esq.
Barbara A.M. Maloney, Esq., PLLC
Auburn, NH

Catherine H. O'Neill, Esq.
Legal Action Center
New York, NY

Health care risk management programs emerged 30 years ago in direct response to the malpractice crises of the 1970s. The programs were specifically developed as loss prevention techniques for the risks associated with accidental losses facing health care organizations. AATOD has concluded that methadone treatment programs can benefit from an effective risk management training program, in ways that are similar to the benefits that have accrued to other health care providers. In addition, accreditation has encouraged individualized patient care and developed opportunities for programs to better organize their administrative structure, further supporting risk management as well.

This Pre-Conference session will introduce OTP practitioners to the key elements of a risk management program and how they can be directly applied to work with methadone treatment programs. Programs will also get the most current information available about leading legal risks to methadone treatment program operations in addition to a discussion of some critical court cases that have affected methadone treatment programs at present and can have an effect in the future.

The session will consider topics as they apply to specific issues including:

• What happens to the program when adverse events occur
• Scope of risk management
• Common risk identifiers
• Setting priorities, facts to consider
• Risk Prevention
• Risk Minimization
• Claims management
• Developing proactive legal strategies
• Patients' confidentiality rights
• Methadone treatment programs' liability for patients' actions

Supported by David Szerlip and Associates
Supported by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment

Opioid Treatment in a Corrections Setting - One Community's Response (October 17, 2004) (Powerpoint)

Stacey Seikel, M.D.
Center for Drug-Free Living
Orlando, FL

Pam Steinke, R.N.
Orange County Corrections Health Services
Orange County, FL

Babette Hankey, M.S.
Center for Drug-Free Living
Orlando, FL

George Ellis, M.D.
Orange County Corrections Health Services
Orange County, FL

In 2001, Orange County formed the County Commissioner's Jail Oversight Commission to address issues in the Orange County Jail. A mental health and substance abuse subcommittee was formed, and the issue of treatment for inmates on methadone maintenance was identified as one area of focus.

The Center for Drug-Free Living and Orange County partnered to bring continued methadone treatment to incarcerated inmates who were already affiliated with a methadone program. The challenges and solutions will be the focus if this presentation.

Participants will have the opportunity to learn how one community came together to successfully address an issue in the county jail that had ramifications for the jail community and the community at large.

Pam Steinke will provide an overview of the Jail Oversight Commission's work to enhance substance abuse and mental health services in the Orange County Jail. Babette Hankey and Pam Steinke will provide an overview of the work the two agencies engaged in to develop a working model for this program. Dr. Seikel and Dr. Ellis will provide an overview of the medical aspects of this program and the future of opioid dependency treatment in the Orange County Jail.

Sponsored by the Center for Drug-Free Living and the Orange County Department of Corrections.