ADDRESSING THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC, LINKING VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES INTO CARE, AND CELEBRATING ONE YEAR OF SAVING LIVES

MIAMI, Oct. 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Care Resource Community Health Centers, Inc. celebrates the first anniversary of the Special Purpose Outreach Team (SPOT) mobile medical clinic. This mobile medical clinic was inaugurated in October 2021 in response to the opioid crisis, ongoing HIV epidemic, and the COVID-19 pandemic in Broward County.

The SPOT's unique ability to be mobile has permitted the program to perform COVID vaccinations, infectious disease screenings, onsite telehealth visits, wound care, hepatitis vaccinations, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), and more.

According to Thomas Smith, Ph.D., LMHC, LMFT, MCAP, Director of Behavioral Health Services with Care Resource, "Since its inception one year ago, The SPOT program has enrolled 228 participants, exchanged needles 1,350 times, collected 72,572 used syringes, and distributed 53,437 clean needles. For a whole year, this program has taken thousands of used needles off the streets and has prevented countless overdoses by providing education, medical care, and linkage to substance use disorder treatment programs. Moreover, 1,000 Narcan kits have been distributed, resulting in 375 opioid overdose reversals."

The SPOT mobile medical clinic is the only Syringe Services Program (SSP) approved by Broward County and authorized under the Florida Infectious Disease Elimination Act (IDEA). Validated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, SSPs take used needles off the streets and prevent overdoses by providing education, medical care, and linkage to substance use disorder treatment programs.

The SPOT began as a foundational gift made by Peter B. Cinelli, M.D., a retired New York surgeon and Fort Lauderdale philanthropist. Additional funding was provided by United Way of Broward County, Care Resource, the Fishman Family, and a Gilead FOCUS award. Donations to The SPOT Fund offset the cost of new syringes, support educational and outreach materials, and the operations of our mobile clinic. Learn more at: TheSpotBroward.org.

Care Resource provides affordable, high-quality healthcare and support services to the most vulnerable and diverse medically underserved populations of South Florida. Their health centers offer comprehensive health and support services to address the full health care needs of pediatric, adolescent, and adult patients in South Florida. Care Resource is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization and a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), with four locations located in Midtown Miami, Little Havana, Miami Beach, and Fort Lauderdale. Learn more at: CareResource.org.

SOURCE Care Resource