THE MOUNTAIN COMES TO YOU –                                                                                    

Sept. 12, 2023 -The team includes a physician, case manager and outreach workers who have personal experiences with substance use disorder, worked out of a van parked at six sites in neighborhoods that have high rates of fatal and nonfatal overdoses. The goal was to get patients same-day prescriptions for buprenorphine, a lifesaving medication that treats opioid use disorder …  The van is operated by Prevention Point Philadelphia, a nonprofit, harm-reduction group that serves people experiencing homelessness and substance use disorder.

Importantly, the “bupe bus,” as patients and staff call it, reached a diverse group of patients. Nearly 60% were Black and 15% were Hispanic during the period we collected our data. Most did not have a primary care doctor or mental health providers.

After their initial visit, 86% of patients completed at least one follow-up visit, and 69% completed four or more visits on the van. 

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