RREACT: A mobile multidisciplinary response to overdose

Abstract

Opioid overdose is a leading cause of death in the United States, and engaging with patients following overdose to provide harm reduction and recovery resources can prove difficult. Quick response models use mobile, multidisciplinary teams to establish a time-sensitive connection between individuals who overdosed and harm reduction and recovery resources that improve outcomes. These quick response models are consistent with the broader field of mobile-integrated health programs that are growing in number and acceptability, though the literature base is sparse and programs vary. We describe the 5-year reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation and maintenance (RE-AIM) framework of the Rapid Response Emergency Addiction and Crisis Team (RREACT), a fire/emergency medical services-led, multidisciplinary (firefighter/paramedic, law enforcement officer, social worker) mobile outreach team. RREACT provides harm reduction, linkage/transportation to care and wrap-around services to individuals following a nonfatal opioid overdose that resulted in an emergency response in Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio, United States. Between 2018 and 2022, RREACT made 22,157 outreach attempts to 11,739 unique patients. RREACT recorded 3,194 direct patient contacts during this time, resulting in 1,200 linkages to care: 799 direct transports to opioid use disorder treatment and 401 warm handoffs to communitytreatment agencies. Furthermore, RREACT’s staffing increased from 4 full-time equivalent staff in 2018 to 15.5 in 2022 and was supported by the surrounding community through 287 community outreach events and the development of an alumni program. These preliminary results further support the deployment of multidisciplinary mobile outreach teams to increase access to harm reduction and recovery resources following opioid overdose.