100,000+ Have Been Referred Through Del. Treatment & Referral Network

A system that refers Delawareans in search of substance use and mental health services has now made more than 100,000 referrals.

According to Delaware Health and Social Services, the Delaware Treatment and Referral Network helps people get access to treatment and get them on the road to recovery. It was established in October 2018.

“This milestone represents a systematic improvement in identifying and treating individuals with substance use disorders,” Delaware Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Director Joanna Champney said. “That is 100,000 times where a pathway to treatment was made available for someone so they didn’t have to end up in the emergency room or worse.” 

DHSS said Delaware is the first state to make more than 100,000 referrals using this system built on the OpenBeds® platform, which is a bed registry platform owned by Bamboo Health (formerly Appriss Health + PatientPing). The system identifies and tracks behavioral health and social determinants of healthe resources, giving providers “immediate visibility into resource availability across a shared network” – making it easier to get people the help they need when they need it.

Currently, health officials suspect that 347 deaths in Delaware were caused by overdose in 2021, down from 447 in 2020.

“One death from an opioid overdose or from a mental health crisis is one too many,” Delaware Lieutenant Governor Bethany Hall-Long said. “For families coping with a loved one, who suffers from substance use disorder or mental illness, finding help is an immediate need that must be met. The 100,000 referrals through DTRN demonstrates that we are mending the fractured behavioral health system in Delaware, so people can get access to treatment and on the path to recovery. As Chair of Delaware’s Behavioral Health Consortium, we remain committed to saving lives through platforms like DTRN and the network of behavioral health providers. Newsweek recently recognized Delaware in November 2021 as one of only four states that the CDC reported as having a decrease in the annual percentage rate of opioid deaths. DTRN was a significant tool contributing to this reduction.”

“The Delaware Treatment and Referral Network has allowed the Department of Correction to connect individuals in our custody to vital health care services upon their release to the community,” Commissioner of Correction Monroe Hudson Jr. added.  “DTRN makes possible a seamless transition to resources like Medication-Assisted Treatment for offenders who struggle with addiction. Simply put, keeping these behavioral and medical health care services in place without interruption saves lives and is helping the DOC and our partners improve reentry outcomes across Delaware.” 

Information about services and referrals is available at www.helpishereDE.com.  The DHSS’ 24/7 Crisis Hotline can be reached at 1-833-9-HOPEDE