Center for Addiction Treatment

Connor Schroeder, Summer 2018

The opioid epidemic although highly publicized, remains an ongoing issue with no immediate end in sight. This summer I was given an opportunity through The Urban Health Project (UHP), to help serve people who were trying to recover from their opioid addiction. The experience put faces and names to the epidemic for myself. These faces came from all backgrounds, and socioeconomic standings. My time serving these people help to establish in my mind that the problem had truly expanded into all parts of the population. I am grateful for the ability to help these people in their time of need with a group of compassionate people dedicated to helping.

My time while in the Urban Health project internship was spent at The Center for Addiction Treatment. The Center for Addiction Treatment aims to help those suffering from addiction through counseling, inpatient treatment, and outpatient medication assisted treatment. My role while at CAT was largely in the outpatient clinic, where I discussed each patient's blood work with them to screen for blood borne diseases such as hepatitis C, hepatitis B, and human immunodeficiency virus. If the patient was positive for any blood borne disease I gave then referral information, and guided them towards appropriate treatment. After each discussion, regardless of disease status every patient filled out a brief survey, regarding their blood borne disease status. This data was then analyzed to help The Center for Addiction Treatment to better understand, and better serve their population base.

The summer spent with UHP at The Center for Addiction Treatment was a fulfilling experience as I was able to become part of a group with the intent of helping a population in desperate need of help. It was great working alongside all of the dedicated staff, and the skills that they taught me will forever help me interact with patients from different walks of life.