Utilizing Helpline for Opioid Dependence Treatment

The investigator propose to develop an opioid telephone helpline, where trained counselors and educators provide referral, educational and targeted interventions and support to individuals interested in addressing their addiction or needing help with managing their pain. The proposed application builds on "tobacco quit line" efforts, a nationally-adopted telephone-based service, providing education materials, access to cessation medication and counseling against tobacco use. Similar to tobacco quit line; the proposed telephone based services will remove barriers to treatment as they help individuals at the exact time of need. The helpline will also educate individuals with new onset pain about pain expectations, relaxation techniques, use of pharmacology and psychotherapy for treatment in addition to providing support for coping and reducing dependency on prescription opioids. It will be a low cost, easily accessible and utilizable technology to augment the clinical outcome of medication assisted treatment of opioid use disorder and pain management.