Post-Overdose Response Team
Providing hope after overdose, the Emily’s Hope Post-Overdose Response Team provides peer support services to those who survive an overdose in Minnehaha and Lincoln Counties in South Dakota.
The Emily’s Hope PORT (Post-Overdose Response Team) program is an effort to provide holistic, evidence-based care and support to those who survive an overdose in Minnehaha and Lincoln Counties in South Dakota.
The program was established in response to the escalating opioid epidemic in partnership with the State of South Dakota’s Department of Social Services, Division of Behavioral Health.
HOW IT WORKS
The Emily’s Hope Post-Overdose Response Team (PORT) is a free program designed to follow up with individuals who’ve recently experienced an overdose.
Emergency Referrals
If an overdose occurs and the patient is brought to the emergency department, a staff member will recommend support from the Emily’s Hope Post-Overdose Response Team.
The patient will sign a release of information (ROI), which will be faxed to Emily’s Hope.
A peer support specialist is dispatched within 48 hours to provide initial support (our goal is to meet the patient in the emergency department within two hours).
Emergency Department Providers
Please fax the patient demographics sheet, release of information, and MAT/MOUD order (if applicable) to 605-340-6276. Ensure contact information is accurate so we can follow up if the patient is discharged before a peer support specialist arrives.
Non-Emergency Referrals
Within 30 days of an overdose, a client can request support or can be referred by a loved one, friend, provider or community organization.
The referral is a simple online form.
A peer support specialist will respond within 48 hours to provide initial support.
Non-ER Providers
WHAT WE DO
First Interaction
The peer support specialist will provide:
- Resources for treatment
- Free naloxone (NARCAN®) and training
- Free fentanyl testing strips*
- In-person or virtual counseling/guidance
- Assistance with MAT/MOUD refills, if ordered by a physician
- A plan to follow up
*If telehealth support is requested, we are not able to mail fentanyl testing strips due to federal laws.
Follow-Up
Our peer support specialists provide follow-up support for up to a year after the overdose.
We make the following touchpoints:
- Within one week of initial contact
- Then bi-weekly for six months
- After six months, monthly for the rest of the year
What is a Peer Support Specialist?
A Peer Support Specialist is someone who has personal experience with substance use disorder. They provide support and assistance to others going through similar experiences. They offer guidance, empathy, inspiration, hope, reduced stigma, and understanding based on their own recovery journey.
THINGS TO KNOW
- The program is free to use
- We do notify or share client information with law enforcement
- There is no commitment required
- We offer telehealth options through the Straight Up Care app
From Overdose to Hope: Cameron’s Journey with Emily’s Hope
Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) or Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD)
Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD), also known as Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT), is an evidence-based approach that combines FDA-approved medications with counseling and behavioral therapies to treat opioid use disorder. MOUD/MAT reduces withdrawal symptoms, decreases cravings, and helps prevent relapse, allowing individuals to focus on recovery and improving their overall quality of life. Common medications used include methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone.
South Dakota Good Samaritan Law
Good Samaritan laws are in place in South Dakota to protect people who offer aid to those in distress. Additionally, naloxone is not a controlled substance, so people should not be reluctant to use it to help others who may be in an overdose situation. Good Samaritan laws protect people helping others in distress.
WHY CALL?
Individuals who survive an overdose face an exponentially higher risk of experiencing another one. Emily’s Hope PORT intervenes by connecting these individuals to essential resources, empowering them to enhance their health and well-being. Through these interventions, Emily’s Hope PORT stands as a life-saving initiative, significantly preventing further overdoses.
Contact Information
IF THIS IS AN EMERGENCY, DIAL 911
For crisis support, dial text or call 988.
Our Partners
NARCAN® is a registered trademark of Emergent Operations Ireland Limited. Emily’s Hope is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by Emergent Operations Ireland Limited or Emergent BioSolutions Inc.