In June 2018, amid the backdrop of the escalating opioid crisis, Summa Health launched First Step, an innovative addiction treatment program, within the Summa Health System — Barberton Campus Emergency Department. Offering unparalleled 24/7 access, the fledgling program enabled individuals living in Barberton and surrounding communities to receive specialized care — including medication-assisted treatment (MAT), RN-led care coordination, and peer recovery services—when they needed it most. Due in large part to the successful outcomes achieved in Barberton, First Step commenced several periods of expansion, beginning with Summa Health System — Akron Campus ED in 2019 and most recently the freestanding EDs in Green and Wadsworth. 

 

In addition to First Step, Summa Health also offers a robust catalog of addiction services across the continuum of care. Individuals requiring inpatient withdrawal management may receive treatment on 4E, a dedicated inpatient medically managed inpatient detoxification unit. Individuals requiring inpatient admissions for a co-occurring medical or psychiatric reason receive care from the Addiction Consultation and Liaison Program (CLP). 

 

First Step patients that require a higher level of care than what is offered through traditional outpatient appointments are frequently referred to Summa Health’s Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP), a group therapy treatment program with locations in Akron, Barberton and Hudson. The Vivitrol and Subloclade Clinic offers patients an opportunity to receive long-acting injectable medications to treat their substance use disorders. Pregnant individuals seeking addiction services are referred to CenteringPregnancy (CP), a prenatal care program that offers appointments with addiction medicine providers, specially trained to meet the unique needs of expectant mothers, and medication-assisted treatment. The Summa Health Family Medicine Center, which offers a wide range of primary services, also provides MAT to appropriate patients, many of whom are referred from First Step.