NRT Behavioral Health

NRT Behavioral Health Managing Partner Ben Cort was recently interviewed on The Critical Mission Podcast.

The discussion provides a broad historical context for Cort’s recovery-oriented mission, advocacy for accessible high-quality behavioral healthcare, and the birth of NRT Behavioral Health. Anyone interested in understanding the barriers to effective addiction treatment from the perspective of an insider striving to make change may find this impactful.

Listen wherever you access your iHeartRadio podcasts.

The newest member of the NRT Behavioral Health family is arriving soon!

Foundry Front Range represents thousands of hours of careful planning and meticulous ex*****on. This 44,000-square-foot facility will provide exceptional medically supervised detoxification and residential treatment for adults experiencing substance use and co-occurring mental health disorders.

Foundry Front Range makes our Trauma-Integrated Care vastly more accessible and is just 30 minutes from downtown Denver.

Keep an eye out for details!

The so-called “fourth wave” of the opioid epidemic, marked by mixing fentanyl and stimulants, is claiming more lives.

Recent reporting shows a significant rise in the number of Colorado overdose deaths involving fentanyl or other opioids and psychostimulants like amphetamines and co***ne during 2023. Colorado is one of a handful of states in which overdose deaths increased between 2022 and 2023.

Many people using stimulants cannot tell if their drugs are adulterated with fentanyl, making their choice to use the substances even more dangerous.

NRT Behavioral Health clinical team members have witnessed the change and now believe that the majority of clients treated for any substance use disorder have likely been exposed to fentanyl-adulterated substances during their active use. This is a common refrain among professional addiction treatment providers.

The danger of the illicit drug supply is growing, and seeking care has never been more important. If you or someone you know needs help, please contact us or another qualified treatment provider.

The NRT Behavioral Health Team wishes you a safe and happy Fourth of July!

This holiday reminds us of our many freedoms. The freedom of recovery is one particularly close to our hearts. We are enormously proud to work with clients, families, and colleagues to renew the independence and self-determination that comes from removing the yolk of substance use and mental health disorders, trauma, and family system issues.

Happy Fourth!

NRT Behavioral Health Managing Partner Ben Cort is a foremost expert on the implications of cannabis commercialization.

Ben’s newly available 7.25 CE course gives behavioral healthcare professionals extensive insights into cannabis policy, products, public and personal health impacts, and more.

“THC in the 21st Century: CBD, Delta Variants, and Other Byproducts of Cannabis”

Credit Hours: 7.25 General CE Hours
Registration Fee: $75

Learn More and Register Today! https://lnkd.in/gZswtmGs

A study of Medicare patients reveals that over 50% of those who survive drug overdoses are later prescribed opioid pain medications—just 4% received addiction medications like buprenorphine. Over 17 percent experience a second overdose, and 1% die of an overdose.

This study highlights the serious need for recovery-informed and supportive connections across the continuum of care. In addition to highlighting the fact that prescribers may not be considering a patient's overdose history, coverage of this study also reminds us that Medicare does not cover residential addiction treatment. Residential treatment often offers the coordinated services and safe and supportive environments needed to help people establish a lasting foundation of recovery.

The Kiowa County Press recently reported on concerning declines in the number of people covered by Medicaid benefits and those who are using less healthcare because of private insurance co-pays and deductibles. Colorado Behavioral Health Care Council CEO Kara Johnson-Hufford projects that revenue shortfalls from the decline in patients seeking treatment because of cost may lead to the need to reduce treatment services.

Reduced healthcare insurance coverage at a time of rising need for services poses severe threats to individuals, families, and communities. More funding is needed to make it easier for patients to get the treatment they need, but it makes it harder for treatment providers to deliver the most effective services and reach out to new patients. Delaying medical treatment has serious implications for patients and the medical system. At a time when only 10 percent of people in need of behavioral healthcare seek treatment, pathways to make care more accessible must be prioritized.

The potentially deadly sedative medetomidine is being detected in the country's illicit drug supply.

Medetomidine is a medication used in human and veterinary medicine to slow the heart rate. In 2022, reports indicated that medetomidine had entered the illicit drug supply in Canada and parts of the US. New reporting by NPR and other major news outlets suggests that the drug is now more prevalent and has been linked to overdoses in five states, including Colorado. The Center for Forensic Science Research and Education (CFSRE) issued an alert about the increased risk of medetomidine last month, which states that the drug is often found mixed with fentanyl, he**in, and xylazine.

Medetomidine, which is similar to but more powerful than xylazine, dramatically increases the danger of overdoses and deaths. The drug drastically lowers the heart rate - in some cases, to just 20 beats per minute. Because opioids and medetomidine both suppress the respiratory system, combining them increases the risks of fatality. Notably, the overdose reversal medicine naloxone does not work on medetomidine and xylazine, which means that there are no straightforward rescue pathways if people overdose on these drugs.

Because many types of drugs, from opioids to stimulants, can be adulterated with hazardous drugs like medetomidine, people should be extremely careful about their use. Ideally, people experiencing substance use disorders should seek treatment. Help is available, and recovery works.

Colorado Governor Jared Polis signed SB24-115 into law on May 22, reducing barriers for Coloradans who wish to become behavioral health practitioners.

With this bill, clinicians are no longer required to tell clients the difference between licensure, certification, and registration. The bill also removes the need to pass the board of social work examiners' masters exam to become a licensed social worker. The bill adds the need for psychologist, marriage and family therapist, licensed professional counselor, and addiction counselor candidates to pass the state's jurisprudence exam. The bill also allows candidates to renew their registration if they do not complete licensing requirements within the four year limit.

"We are breaking down unnecessary barriers to enter our healthcare workforce and ensuring Coloradans are provided accessible healthcare information, getting Coloradans the care they need," Governor Polis said of the bill's passage. The bill would seem to make it easier for people to become mental and behavioral healthcare providers, roles that are severely needed as the state and nation continue facing unprecedented levels of behavioral health disorders.

Colorado experienced more overdose deaths in 2023, while the nation's rate of overdose deaths declined slightly last year. A recent CDC report suggests that U.S. overdose deaths decreased by 3.1% between 2022 and 2023. However, Colorado has seen a slight increase in overall overdose deaths and a ten percent increase in fentanyl-related deaths in the past year.

The welcome news that overdose deaths are declining is somewhat tempered by the ongoing prevalence of substance use disorders. And while opioid-related substance use disorders and overdose deaths may be waning — a trend that we fervently hope continues — the past year has seen a continued rise in methamphetamine and stimulant use.

While commendable progress is being made in the nation's effort to stem the widespread negative effects of the opioid epidemic, it is important to note that we are facing multifaceted addiction and mental health epidemics that will continue to perpetuate substance use disorder and the need to help individuals and families find recovery.

NRT Managing Partner Ben Cort is a foremost expert on commercial cannabis and educates organizations nationwide about the effects of today’s high-potency THC products, cannabis use disorder, and public health policy.

Now that the DEA has made its long-awaited decision to reduce the classification of cannabis, Cort comments on the potential implications for individuals and cannabis businesses in a recent article.

Read the article here:
https://www.forgingnewlives.com/blog-posts/us-government-expected-to-reclassify-cannabis

People who live and work in rural communities, like Colorado's ranchers and farmers, experience high rates of mental health disorders and su***de while lacking adequate treatment resources. The stigma surrounding these issues can make it harder for people in these communities to seek treatment. One reason is that it can be very difficult for people to access care without friends and neighbors becoming aware.

The Colorado Department of Agriculture and Colorado Farm Bureau created a film called "Legacy" to bring awareness to this issue. The 45-minute feature shares personal stories from rural Coloradans who have accessed mental healthcare in the hopes of normalizing this medical treatment and making it easier to talk about this traditionally sensitive topic.



NRT Behavioral Health has been working to increase rural treatment access for several years. Foundry Treatment Center Steamboat, our Steamboat Springs residential treatment program, program hosts monthly meetings for therapists from numerous rural areas and mountain towns where information can be shared, connections made, and resources discussed with the intent to get community residents the help they need. The program also offers virtual treatment and telehealth services, which make it much easier for people who live hours away from a physical treatment facility to engage in high-quality care.

In Colorado, as around the country, the increasing prevalence of the veterinary tranquilizer xylazine (a.k.a. "tranq") is increasing the danger of the illicit drug supply. Denver's KDVR recently reported that Weld County Drug Task Force agents found counterfeit pills containing fentanyl and xylazine — a potentially fatal combination for anyone consuming these pills. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment reports that 2% of overdoses involved xylazine in 2015. In 2020, 26% of overdoses involved xylazine.

Xylazine, or "tranq," is added to fentanyl or other opioids to extend the duration of its relative effects. Tranq has become a horribly damaging addition to the drug supply as it often leads to the development of severe skin wounds and lesions. The drug can also cause people who use it to appear to be in a stuporous state — a common phenomenon in areas where there is significant open-air drug use.

The National Institute of Drug Abuse reports that xylazine "used in combination with opioid drugs such as fentanyl and he**in, xylazine may damage the ability of the brain to get enough oxygen, which is one of the most dangerous effects of opioid drugs and can lead to death." The illicit drug supply is becoming more dangerous and leading to more severe consequences, whether it is someone's first experience with these substances or if they are regular users.

Treatment is effective and accessible. NRT Behavioral Health programs accept RAE 1 Medicaid in Colorado and are in-network with most insurance plans.

The potential closure of West Springs Hospital, one of the only psychiatric hospitals on the Western Slope providing mental and behavioral health services, demonstrates the challenges facing patients and providers.

A combination of increased labor costs, changes or reductions to insurance reimbursements, and costs of complying with quality reviews have seemingly put West Springs in a precarious financial position. The hospital may have just months to operate unless something changes.

The problems facing West Springs Hospital illustrate the challenges of providing rural communities with mental health and addiction treatment services. Even sophisticated treatment providers who utilize insurance can run into problems due to the scarcity of providers, complex regulations, and the intensity of demand for its services.

It seems unlikely that people who access West Springs Hospital can find alternate care that is accessible.

NRT Managing Partner Ben Cort is a foremost expert on commercial cannabis and the real-world results of high-potency THC legalization and industrialization. A growing body of evidence suggests that the use of today's THC products is negatively impacting the health of adolescents and adults and that the tax revenue boons promised to states that legalize cannabis sales are not being realized.

Ben is on a speaking tour of Montana to inform numerous organizations about cannabis and how to develop effective policies. Cort is a national speaker and author who advises government agencies, enterprises, organized labor unions, school districts, and other institutions about cannabis and substance use and treatment access.

Most people have moments they wish they could take back due to things they said or did while experiencing the symptoms of substance use disorder. Senator Winter had to endure these symptoms and the stigma surrounding behavioral health disorders in a most public way, and for that, we empathize deeply.

Sharing details of one's health challenges is difficult and courageous. Senator Winter sets an important example for Coloradans needing treatment, and sharing her recovery journey will help make it easier for others to feel comfortable asking for the help they need.

Senator Winter has championed legislation to help fund addiction treatment, provide important supportive housing for many communities, and other vital measures to help Coloradans.

The people of NRT Behavioral Health commend Colorado State Senator Faith Winter for her bravery and wish her the best of luck in her recovery journey.

Colorado's experiences with legal cannabis provide cautionary tales for other states considering legalization.

On March 20, a former U.S. Attorney for Colorado, Bob Troyer, told the Pennsylvania House of Representatives Health Subcommittee on Health Care and the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Corrections that sales of legal ma*****na contribute less than 1% of state revenue, the costs far outweigh the benefits, commercial cannabis has led to numerous harms, and that for every dollar gained in tax revenue, Coloradans spent $4.50 to mitigate the negative effects of legalization, according to reporting by GoErie.

A growing body of evidence from Colorado and other states early to legalize ma*****na seems to undercut hopes that revenues from its sale would benefit state residents. Increased rates of traffic accidents, poisonings, crime, and health disorders associated with cannabis use drive up costs for public education, treatment, and prevention efforts.

NRT Behavioral Health leaders are experts in the area of commercial cannabis and its effects, and the company's treatment programs specialize in treating cannabis use disorder.

Wastewater, recently used to track Covid-19 strains, is now seen as a potential tool to monitor substance use trends. European and South American wastwewater substance monitoring indicate rises in co***ne and M**A in a majority of cities. Testing wastewater for drugs isn't just about detection; it also helps governments to pinpoint their intervention efforts.

According to a January 9-NEWS report, Denver is pursuing plans to establish wastewater monitoring to gain information about opioid use in the city. This story reports that San Francisco is already testing citywide water to determine opiod levels, and that New Mexico focused water testing on highscools, which revealed that water from 63% of schools tested positive for co***ne, and 13% tested poisitive for fentanyl.

Colorado public radio ran a story this week discussing public water testing for illicit substances. Joao Matias, the wastewater expert with the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction interviewed for the report indicated ethical testing guidelines developed in 2016 that suggested not testing small communities or settings to avoid stigmatization.

It seems possible Colorado, and other states, may implement wastewater testeing to ascertain statewide or local substance use tresnds. This data may be helpful in identifying specific areas of need and, hopefully, help to advocate for effective education, treatment and other recovery-supportive services.

The Governor of Oregon is set to sign a new bill that marks a significant policy reversal by recriminalizing drug use in the state. This move introduces a misdemeanor sentence of up to 180 days for drug possession, highlighting a shift away from the voter-approved Measure 110. This decision underscores the complexities of balancing public health and safety concerns in drug policy reform.

What happens in Oregon reflects on the nation. Between 2019 and 2022, opioid overdose fatalities rose 241%, and fentanyl-related deaths increased by 1,500%, according to data from NPR and the Oregonian. Today, most Oregonians are in favor of reversing the state's decriminalization policy and welcome a move that would reinstate criminal penalties and drug courts to reduce the rampant problems caused by a lack of restrictions. People in recovery from addiction are also overwhelmingly in favor of placing penalties on use as a means of reducing the ease of access and creating pathways to treatment and recovery.

Drug policy plays a major role in the use and normalization of substances. In Colorado, cannabis policy, in particular, impacts rates of cannabis-induced psychosis, accidental injury, emergency department visits, and development of cannabis-use disorder. Foundry Steamboat offers specialized treatment for cannabis use disorder, which poses complex risks. Interestingly, Oregon's plan to pay for its expanded treatment needs resulting from the decriminalization of drugs was to come from taxes collected on the sale of cannabis products. However, few people are seeking treatment in the state. In Oregon, like Colorado, it may be that a permissible stance toward substance use and planning to reap public health benefits from cannabis commercialization may do much more harm than good.

A study by the Keck School of Medicine discovered an alarming increase in delta-8 THC usage among high school students, emphasizing the need for regulation and awareness. The unregulated compound, derived from h**p, is quickly gaining popularity, with 11% of high school seniors admitting to its use. Public health officials urge immediate action due to the unknown long-term effects and easy accessibility to teenagers.

NRT Behavioral Health is deeply concerned about the potential normalization of cannabis and related substance uses, especially among adolescents and teens. Young people face heightened long-term health risks from using substances like delta-8 THC and high-potency THC products. Recent reporting shows growing rates of cannabis-induced psychosis, paranoia, depression, anxiety, and cannabis use disorder.

Our treatment programs offer expertise in treating the challenges of cannabis use disorder and substance use within family systems.

🌟 Welcome to NRT Behavioral Health's page! 🌟

We're thrilled to have you join our community! Here, we'll keep you updated on all the latest news, events, and insights from our dedicated team as we work together to make a positive impact on the lives of individuals and families across Colorado. Stay connected with us to learn more about our mission, programs, and how we're collaborating with communities to promote holistic health and well-being. Let's embark on this journey together!