Maine youth ages 16 and 17 will have access to the nation’s leading telehealth-based treatment platform and can receive gold standard treatment with medications for opioid use disorder, including buprenorphine.
BOSTON, July 30, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bicycle HealthBicycle Health, the nation’s largest virtual opioid use disorder treatment provider, has launched the first virtual opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment program for Maine youth. Patients ages 16 and 17 will be eligible for Bicycle Health’s telehealth-based Medicine for OUD (MOUD) model of care, making it easier for teens struggling with opioid addiction to receive the highest quality care. This marks the first virtual MOUD treatment option available to youth in the United States.
While alcohol, marijuana and tobacco are the most commonly abused drugs among teenagers in the United States, opioid abuse is widespread among those under the age of 18. In 2019, one in 10 Maine high school students report Misusing prescription painkillers. 2023 SurveyAn estimated 5.2% of Maine high school students reported taking a prescription drug without a doctor’s prescription in the past 30 days, compared to 6% of high school students nationwide who reported the same in 2021.
Bicycle Health’s virtual adolescent care program in Maine treats patients age 16 and older. The program requires a parent or responsible adult to be present during teen patients’ first appointment. Qualifying teen patients then receive confidential clinical support services from the nation’s largest remote MOUD treatment provider, wherever they are. Bicycle Health accepts payment from certain private insurance companies and Medicaid.
“For our adolescent patients, Bicycle Health’s model of care can be groundbreaking. There is a strong correlation between anxiety disorders and other psychiatric disorders and substance use disorders in teenagers,” said Dr. Marla Kushner, DO, regional medical director for Bicycle Health’s Northeast Region. “This program in Maine will help us reach teens who may not be able to access substance use care due to where they live or their comfort level in discussing it with their existing care providers.”
MOUD treatment is the gold standard for people suffering from OUD. FDA-approved medications like buprenorphine allow patients to safely get and stay in recovery, reducing the risk of relapse and overdose. Bicycle Health’s care model combines MOUDs like buprenorphine and its injectable form, Sublocade, with comprehensive virtual care to improve patients’ access to care and achieve significantly higher retention rates than in-person alternatives. American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Recommendation Medications such as buprenorphine are used to treat adolescents with severe OUD.
“This program is a major step in expanding access to clinically proven OUD treatment to patients of all backgrounds,” said Dr. Brian Clear, Bicycle Health’s chief medical officer. “It is essential that adolescents suffering from OUD have flexible, high-quality treatment options available to them early so they can get the care they need to recover and maintain their recovery into adulthood. Bicycle Health is pleased to be the first to roll out virtual MOUD treatment options to this often overlooked patient population.”
Learn more about Bicycle Health’s virtual MOUD care model here. Click here for details.
Bicycle Health
Bicycle Health is the leading telehealth provider of opioid use disorder (MOUD) medications in the United States, offering an evidence-based clinical care model that includes: FDA Approved Medication for Addiction (MAT)access to a team of highly trained medical professionals, therapy, customized treatment plans and peer support groups. Bicycle Health’s mission is to address the nation’s greatest public health crisis by reducing the stigma associated with opioid addiction and providing affordable, convenient and confidential access to remote MOUD treatment to individuals in need. The company’s “whole person” treatment approach encourages patients to focus on their passions and goals in life, which have been shown to play a key role in recovery. For more information, Click here for details.
contact
LaunchSquad for Bicycle Health
bicyclehealth@launchsquad.com
