Forgetting others during a pandemic

March 18, 2020

As the world is battling the frightening COVID-19 epidemic, there is another at-risk population being ignored; patients receiving or who require substance use treatment. Many of these patients are financially strapped, have nowhere to go, and view the emergency department as their only resource. Now, with hospital resources depleting, many emergency rooms will view these patients as a nuisance, stabilize them, and out the door.

SAMHSA has some great resources, but I fear those are being overlooked.

Everyone needs to remember that ‘most vulnerable’ has many meanings.