The City of Bismarck awarded Heartview $8,000 to expand its Opioid Treatment Program and help combat homelessness. The funds will purchase an additional methadone pump. Heartview's Opioid Treatment Program opened in 2017 and has expanded to serve more than 207 patients.
Due to the success patients are finding, patients are remaining in treatment longer. The small OTP clinic is at capacity and is expected to grow but Heartview is not able to accommodate more people. The new methadone pump will streamline dosing and continue to serve the growing OTP population.
The success of the OTP program and wrap around services is evidenced by a 2021-2022 survey of 305 Heartview OTP patients in Bismarck. At baseline, 32% of patients were employed, 90% had been arrested in their lifetime (an average of 10 times), 47% reported fair or poor mental health, and 61% had overdosed during their lifetime. In a follow-up survey one year later, 70% of patients were employed, only 4% had been arrested in the last month, only 24% reported fair or poor mental health, and less than 1% had overdosed in the last month. In addition, patients’ mean income increased from $452 to $863. By addressing the underlying issue of addiction, Heartview is also able to address poverty and mental health.
The Bismarck Tribune covered this story.
