Shatterproof Expanding Addiction Treatment Locator Service
Available Now In 10 States, Soon More
Due to the demand for evidence-based addiction treatment and an overall increase in substance use during COVID- Shatterproof expanded its ATLAS treatment locator service to 4 new states this year: Florida, New Jersey, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania, and California by 2023.
ATLAS stands for Addiction Treatment Locator, Assessment and Standards platform. It uses a 13-question assessment to determine the best treatment. ATLAS asks questions to help a person with a substance use issue identify their trouble. Questions like: “Think about any troubles you might have with nerves, your mood, your thinking, or your relationships with people. Are these making it hard for you to take care of things like work, your home, or relationships?”
There is a wide spectrum of answers to choose from- ranging “Not at all” to “Extremely (I am unable to care for myself or be safe).”
Finding services can also be as simple as searching by address, zip code, city or state to find and compare treatment facilities.
10 Minute Assessment
The non-profit also hosts a website that allows users to take a 10-minute assessment to determine their treatment needs and provides a personal plan for each patient. The site features a checklist with items describing experiences the person may feel, like “craving, or a strong desire or urge to use the substance” and “giving up important social, occupational, or recreational activities because of substance use.”
The more items a person “checks” or identifies with gives them an idea of their symptom severity - from Mild (2-3 symptoms) to Severe (over 6 symptoms).
Health insurers are focused on linking with ATLAS, including Florida Blue, BCBS of MA, Aetna, Cigna, and WellCare due to the success of the ATLAS program.
The program allows individuals to search for treatment featuring specialized programs, such as those for pregnant and postpartum people, veterans, and members of the LGBTQ+ community.
From Simple Beginnings:
“When we started, we only had specialty addiction treatment like a 30-day rehab or outpatient that is a classic treatment facility,” says Caroline Davidson, MPH, Vice President of State Engagement.
“In a few states, we included office-based providers and in California next year we’ll include federally qualified health centers and rural health centers, plus DUI or DWI providers- who offer treatment for someone following a DUI,” says Davidson.
The organization is thinking about language accessibility and translated it’s website into additional languages. “We embarked on a website redesign. We know the website is useful but can be even more accessible for patients and family members looking for care,” says Davidson.
The organization also plans a possible similar offering of services beyond addiction- such as behavioral and mental health treatment.
“It’s something we’re considering,” says Davidson. “We’re taking the approach to walk before we run. With mental health, it’s even more complex than the addiction space. There’s a difference between moderate and severe mental illness,” says Davidson.
Shatterproof uses the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) as a tool to know what types of treatment to include in ATLAS.
“We’re seeing more types of addiction added to the DSM - gambling disorder, for example. So we may take a look at those other addictions. Its proof for us there is an acceptance of the evidence that those conditions do exist. It’s a helpful guide.” says Davidson.