Delaware Hospitals Adopt Statewide Emergency Department Guidance for Opioid Use Disorder Treatment

July 8, 2026/Joe Ciccanti

The Delaware Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS), through its Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health, joined hospital leaders at Bayhealth in Dover this week to announce new statewide guidance for treating opioid use disorder in emergency departments. Developed through Delaware’s Overdose System of Care, the guidance creates a consistent approach for identifying, treating, and connecting patients experiencing opioid withdrawal or overdose with ongoing care. The guidance also supports the timely use of medications for opioid use disorder, strengthens connections to community treatment providers, and expands resources to help patients transition into recovery services.

 

Additional Information from the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services:

“Every emergency department encounter represents an opportunity to save a life and begin the path to recovery,” said Joanna Champney, Director of the Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health. “By adopting a common set of evidence-based practices statewide, Delaware’s hospitals are ensuring that patients receive consistent, compassionate care and stronger connections to treatment, regardless of where they seek help.”
 
Delaware established the Overdose System of Care in 2017 to strengthen coordination among emergency medical services, hospitals, treatment providers, and community organizations responding to the opioid epidemic. Since then, partners have continued refining the state’s approach by identifying best practices, evaluating emerging evidence, and improving care coordination.
 
The new guidance addresses every stage of the emergency department experience, from initial patient engagement and withdrawal management to medication initiation, discharge planning, warm handoffs to treatment providers, and connections to recovery support services. It also emphasizes reducing stigma, using person-centered language, and treating opioid use disorder as the chronic medical condition that it is.
 
“The emergency department may be the single most important opportunity to intervene after an overdose or during opioid withdrawal,” said Dr. Robert Rosenbaum, State EMS and Preparedness Section Medical Director for the Division of Public Health. “This guidance brings together the best practices developed by emergency physicians and clinical partners across Delaware so patients have the greatest possible chance to begin treatment, remain engaged in care, and ultimately achieve recovery.”
 
The guidance also reinforces partnerships with community treatment providers and expands the use of statewide resources that help patients transition from emergency care into ongoing treatment and recovery services. Those resources include the Delaware Treatment Referral Network (DTRN), enhanced referral processes, peer recovery support, care navigation, transportation assistance, and other initiatives designed to improve continuity of care.
 
Representatives from ChristianaCare, Bayhealth, Beebe Healthcare, Saint Francis Hospital, Nemours Children’s Health, TidalHealth, the Delaware Healthcare Association, and community recovery organizations joined DHSS for Tuesday’s announcement, highlighting the collaborative effort behind the statewide guidance and its implementation.
 
To help address behavioral health needs of Delawareans, DHSS has several ways for individuals or their family members to connect:
 
  • Call the 24/7 Delaware Hope Line at 1-833-9-HOPEDE or 1-833-946-7333 – a single point of contact where callers can connect to a variety of resources and information, including support from clinicians and peer specialists plus crisis assistance.
  • Stop by one of DHSS’ Bridge Clinics for an in-person assessment.
  • Visit TreatmentConnection.com to find out which treatment providers are located near you.
  • Visit HelpIsHereDE.com, DHSS’ one-stop website where Delawareans can search for treatment services and resources in Delaware or nearby states.
  • Call 988 if the individual is in crisis and needs immediate support.
  • Call 911 if someone has overdosed and needs emergency medical attention.
  • Learn where to find Narcan training, get the medication through the mail, and download the OpiRescueDE App here.

 

Posted in , , , , , , ,