LCMC HEALTH ADVANCES COMPASSIONATE CARE FOR SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER, RECOGNIZING INTERNATIONAL OVERDOSE AWARENESS DAY

In observance of International Overdose Awareness Day (Aug. 31), LCMC Health is enhancing its commitment to compassionate, stigma-free care for individuals with substance use disorder (SUD) and strengthening harm reduction and overdose prevention efforts across the communities it serves. 

“Every interaction with a patient is an opportunity to make a meaningful difference," said Dr. Jennifer Meyer, Corporate Vice President of Medical Affairs and Associate Chief Medical Officer of LCMC Health. "When someone comes to us for care and their first step toward recovery, we want them to know they will be met with compassion, dignity and hope. By making naloxone available, connecting people to continued support and ensuring our teams lead with empathy, we have the opportunity not only to save a life, but to help someone see a path forward.” 

LCMC Health is prioritizing a comprehensive approach to SUD through both internal and external education initiatives. This strategy ensures that staff and the public recognize SUD as a legitimate medical condition. Emergency Department (ED) staff members across the LCMC Health system are undergoing specialized training aimed at dismantling biases and fostering a culture of empathy. 

Additionally, all LCMC Health EDs are now providing rescue kits with naloxone, commonly known as Narcan, at no cost to patients at increased risk for opioid overdose. Nursing staff will educate patients on overdose recognition and naloxone administration, distributing the no-cost rescue kit during the ED visit or at hospital discharge. The kits contain two doses of Narcan, instructions with pictures in English, Spanish and Vietnamese, as well as recovery resources. Since April 2026, over 1,000 of these rescue kits have been distributed across LCMC Health's network.  

Another critical aspect of this initiative is the integration of Substance Use Navigators (SUN). Led by Brittney McIver, LPC, a behavioral health veteran with over a decade of experience, the SUN Program embeds dedicated navigators into EDs and inpatient units to bridge gaps in post-discharge care, connecting patients to appropriate follow-up care and community resources.   

"These navigators, many of whom bring lived experience in recovery and a passion for supporting individuals struggling with substance use disorders, provide judgment-free support during patients’ most vulnerable moments,” said McIver. “LCMC Health aims to lead the state in adopting this emerging national best practice, bringing rare peer-navigation resources directly to Louisiana emergency rooms." 

Highlighting the health system's national leadership in addiction medicine, the LSU Health Integrated Health Clinic at University Medical Center New Orleans (UMC) was selected as one of only six teams nationwide by the American Hospital Association for a national opioid care learning collaborative. A team of five UMC and LSU Health physicians earned this competitive grant because of their innovative, low-barrier approach to combining addiction treatment with primary care. As Louisiana’s only academic primary care center focused on care of patients with SUD, the Integrated Health Clinic combines medication for SUD with primary care to diagnose and treat medical issues, along with psychological and psychiatric interventions to support long-term recovery. 

Demonstrating this frontline expertise in the community, Dr. Rhea E. Kyles, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, a Family Nurse Practitioner with the Integrated Health Clinic, will be featured as a key panelist during the Region 1 Overdose Prevention event on Aug. 31. Held at the Jefferson Parish East Bank Regional Library, under the theme "A Celebration of Resilience: Surviving, Thriving, and De-Stigmatizing," the event brings together regional experts, survivors and advocacy leaders. Dr. Kyles will participate in the featured panel, "Voices of the Frontline," sharing vital clinical insights alongside other medical, mental health and emergency medical service professionals dedicated to advancing addiction care across Greater New Orleans. Attendance is free; however, interested individuals are asked to register beforehand on https://ldhophregion1survivorsummit.eventbrite.com. 

These initiatives represent important progress toward Louisiana Bridge Certification and LCMC Health’s broader commitment to improving care for patients with SUD. This work includes expanding evidence-based treatment, incorporating harm reduction strategies, strengthening education, and creating more reliable connections to treatment and recovery resources after discharge. Together, these efforts can improve health outcomes and help reduce preventable overdoses across the Greater New Orleans community.