The CORE Network Partners are integral to Florida’s Coordinated Opioid Recovery (CORE) initiative, a pioneering statewide program designed to provide a comprehensive, individual-centered approach to treating substance use disorders, with a particular focus on opioid use disorder. This collaborative model brings together a diverse array of stakeholders, including first responders, hospital emergency departments, and behavioral health providers to create a seamless continuum of care that addresses both the immediate and long-term needs of individuals struggling with addiction.
The CORE Network’s innovative approach is characterized by the use of peer navigators who facilitate warm hand-offs between each stage of care, ensuring that individuals are supported throughout their recovery journey. This model not only disrupts the traditional cycle of overdose and relapse but also integrates services such as dental care, career training, housing assistance, and food security, recognizing that successful recovery extends beyond medical treatment alone.
CORE Network Guide
The CORE Network Playbook, published in 2023, provides a comprehensive framework for implementing coordinated opioid recovery systems across Florida. It outlines strategies, best practices, and operational guidance for stakeholders working to improve outcomes in opioid overdose response and recovery.
Training
The following training provides an in-depth orientation to the CORE model, including an overview of its foundational framework, a walkthrough of referral pathways, and guidance on entering client data into the CORE Network Tracker.
Lifesaving Care
Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and Fire Rescue Partners
- Treatment by first responders (fire rescue/emergency medical services personnel) including use of specialized EMS protocols for overdose and acute withdrawal to minimize precipitating symptoms.
- Individual transfer to specialized care.
Presenter: Houston Park is an EMT-paramedic and a retired fire captain in Palm Beach County, Florida.
Specialized Stabilization
Hospital Emergency Departments Providing Addiction Specialty Services
- Treatment strategy in an emergency department.
- Assessment and treatment for emergent unmet health needs.
- Staff roles and transition to long-term treatment facility.
Presenter: Steven Keehn, DO, FACOEP is a board-certified Emergency Medicine Physician. Since 2013, he has been affiliated with HCA Florida JFK North Hospital, in West Palm Beach, Florida, serving as medical director.
Sustainable Recovery
Behavioral and Medical Clinics Providing Long-Term Addiction Care
- Long-term care and wrap around support.
- Treatment team needed to support long-term recovery.
- Long-term treatment services needed.
Presenter: Courtney Phillips, MD is board certified in general psychiatry and addiction medicine. Dr. Phillips serves as the statewide director of Opioid Recovery.
