Featured Grantee

Armstrong-Indiana-Clarion Drug And Alcohol Commission

Addiction Recovery Mobile Outreach Team (ARMOT)

The Addiction Recovery Mobile Outreach Team (ARMOT) is a collaboration between The Armstrong-Indiana-Clarion Drug and Alcohol Commission (AICDAC), Armstrong Center for Medicine and Health, Clarion Hospital, Indiana Regional Medical Center, ARC Manor, Cen-Clear Services, and The Open Door.  AICDAC is the lead organization in this project, employing Case Managers and Certified Recovery Specialists that work in the hospitals in the three counties that ARMOT serves – Armstrong, Indiana, and Clarion Counties in western Pennsylvania. AICDAC staff meet in the hospital with patients that have substance use disorders (SUDs), provide screening and assessment to determine what treatment and supportive services they need, and refer them directly to treatment.

The ARMOT program was started in 2015 with RCORP funding; over the years, it has expanded its efforts to increase the number of people that receive help and support with SUD treatment.  During that time, more than 2,600 patients were referred to the ARMOT program: 75 percent of those referrals were screened by AICDAC staff, and over 88 percent of assessed patients went to treatment directly from the hospital.  AICDAC staff also provide education on SUDs and recovery for medical staff at the three hospitals to meet one of the program’s objectives: reducing the stigma associated with SUDs by educating nurses and doctors about addiction and recovery. Because access to naloxone for patients that use drugs is another objective of the ARMOT program, AICDAC provides naloxone to all Consortium partners to distribute to the people that they serve. 

In response to first responder requests to provide 24-hour support to them and persons who have overdosed and refuse transport or treatment, AICDAC established a 24/7 warmline staffed by recovery support staff to provide assistance and direction to patients to consider further treatment, schedule next-day assessment appointments, and locate treatment beds.  Hospital staff can also access the warmline to find treatment beds when ARMOT staff are not available.

AICDAC has recently started a new initiative with the ARMOT program, providing Overdose Emergency Boxes for local community partners. Overdose Emergency Boxes (Naloxone Boxes) are wall-mounted cabinets stocked with naloxone and other overdose prevention supplies. AICDAC has partnered with 48 different agencies to mount 126 Naloxone Boxes in the 3 Counties.  Locations like schools, colleges, hotels, and apartment buildings have installed these boxes.