ALAMOSA —There is some progress being made in the fight against the opioid crisis in Colorado. According to a report released by the American Medical Association, Manatt Health, and the Colorado Medical Society there have been some measures taken to combat this issue that have worked.

The report highlights some areas where Colorado is seeing some success. These areas include new efforts for the expansion of treatment, new policies for parity, as well as new opioid alternatives in Medicaid. There has also been engagement of the provider community, pilot projects and increased naloxone access.

An example of these efforts is the Colorado Opioid Safety Pilot Project. This project saw a 36 percent reduction in the use of opioids by 10 different emergency departments. Alternatives such as lidocaine injections were also utilized. The project is now being implemented in hospitals statewide.

Colorado has also been at the forefront of passing legislation for increased access to naloxone, a life-saving overdose injection. This reform includes Good Samaritan protections and the elimination of prior authorization for Medicaid. There have also been numerous initiatives to increase the awareness and knowledge of physicians to develop better options for treatment.

The report also notes that Colorado can build on the accomplishments that have already been seen. This can be accomplished through the elimination of barriers to treatment, expanded access to providers, and the continuation of pilot projects.

The report also acknowledges that mental healthcare access is also critical to combating the crisis that Colorado is currently faced with. The information is part of a larger study that has been conducted by the AMA and Manatt Health on the opioid crisis in several states. The data represents recommendations that were generated from the study for the State of Colorado.