Philanthropic gift helps combat the opioid crisis in rural Arizona

01/04/2024

A generous $1 million investment by a local foundation in a pilot initiative anchored at Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix provides renewed hope for combating the opioid crisis in rural Arizona communities. Led by Maria Manriquez, MD, Krista LaBruzzo, MD, and a robust team, the Substance Use Telehealth for Arizona Rural Communities (STARC) program affords Arizona’s rural communities access to comprehensive, remote health care for those struggling with substance use disorders or addiction as well as education for local health care providers.

STARC’s addiction experts can provide regular consultation and treatment via telehealth—regardless of a patient’s location.

With this grant funding, STARC’s addiction experts can provide regular consultation and treatment via telehealth—regardless of a patient’s location.

Banner hospitals in rural locations will serve as hubs where patients can receive virtual consults from STARC specialists as well as in-person care from our providers in their own community. The program aims to remove barriers to care and provide equitable, consistent medical education and consultation to rural providers, while reducing stigma around substance use disorders and formalizing effective treatment protocols.

The Substance Use Telehealth for Arizona Rural Communities(STARC) program is led by Maria Manriquez, MD, Krista LaBruzzo, MD.

“The Comprehensive Center for Pain and Addiction is treating substance use disorder and opioid dependence for patients both in the Valley and rural population by telemedicine,” Dr. Manriquez explains. “Additionally, we have a complete comprehensive prenatal substance use disorder program that incorporates a team of obstetricians, a perinatologist, a psychiatrist, and an addiction specialist. And, we work closely with the Banner transplant teams when their patients require addiction medicine care.”

Over time, STARC will support four Arizona medical centers: Banner Casa Grande Medical Center, Banner Ironwood Medical Center, Banner Payson Medical Center, and Page Hospital.