San Bernardino County Youth Opioid Response: Improving Access to Evidence-Based Medical Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder.

Opioid use disorder (OUD) and related overdose deaths have become a crisis of epidemic proportions in the United States. In 2018, over 10 million people age 12 years or older misused opioids.Substance use is also correlated with increased physical and mental health disorders, and developmental challenges among youths. Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) has been reported to reduce mortality, opioid use, and human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis C virus transmission while increasing treatment retention in adults. The San Bernardino County Youth Opioid Response (SBCYOR) program was formed to explore best practices for youths at risk of opioid use disorders and/or overdose. SBCYOR is a coalition of professionals in healthcare, behavioral health, public education, law enforcement, emergency medical services (EMS) agencies, and juvenile detention centers throughout San Bernardino County, California. SBCYOR focuses on high-risk and addicted individuals between the ages of 12 to 24 years in San Bernardino County's correctional system. It utilizes a strategy of collaboration, prevention, risk mitigation, medication, psychological treatment, and community outreach. This study aimed to evaluate the implementation and progress of SBCYOR.

Increasing Chlamydia and Gonorrhea Infections among Female Juveniles: The Need for Collaboration to Improve Treatment.

BACKGROUND:  Youth in juvenile detention centers are at a high risk for sexually transmitted disease (STD). The current study assesses the trends of chlamydia and gonorrhea (GC) infections and treatment among females within a single county's juvenile correctional facilities. METHODS: This is a retrospective review of aggregate data of female adolescents between 12 and 18 years old who underwent STD screening from 2009 to 2016 in San Bernardino County. RESULTS: Chlamydia infections among adolescent females increased from 11.8% in 2009 to 17.0% in 2016 (p = 0.0002), and GC infections increased from 1.3% in 2009 to 6.0% in 2016 (p < 0.0001). Treatment rates of chlamydia were stable, ranging from 66.7% to 70.8% of positive female adolescents were treated between 2009 and 2016 (p=0.1752). The treatment rate for GC increased from 33% in 2009 to 78.3% in 2016, but annual trends were not statistically significant (p=0.8419). CONCLUSIONS: Chlamydia and GC infections among female adolescents discovered during routine screening upon booking into a county juvenile detention system increased over the study time period. Effective collaboration between public health and various community organizations is needed to improve awareness and prevention of STDs amongst at-risk adolescents.

Subacute Presentation of Central Cord Syndrome Resulting from Vertebral Osteomyelitis and Discitis: A Case Report.

Introduction: Central cord syndrome (CCS) is a clinical syndrome of motor weakness and sensory changes. While CCS is most often associated with traumatic events. There have been few documented cases being caused by abscesses resulting from osteomyelitis. Case Report: A 56-year-old male presented to a regional trauma center complaining of excruciating neck and bilateral upper extremity pain. Computed tomography of the cervical and thoracic regions revealed severe discitis and osteomyelitis of the fourth and fifth cervical (C4-C5) with near-complete destruction of the C4 vertebral body, as well as anterolisthesis of C4 on C5 causing compression of the central canal. Empiric intravenous (IV) antibiotic therapy with ampicillin/sulbactam and vancomycin was initiated, and drainage of the abscess was scheduled. After the patient refused surgery, he was planned to be transferred to a skilled nursing facility to receive a six-week course of IV vancomycin therapy. A month later, patient returned to emergency department with the same complaint due to non-compliance with antibiotic therapy. Discussion: Delayed diagnosis and treatment of osteomyelitis can result in devastating neurological sequelae, and literature supports immediate surgical debridement. Although past evidence has suggested surgical intervention in similar patients with presence of abscesses, this case may suggest that antibiotic treatment may be an alternative approach to the management of CCS due to an infectious etiology. However, the patient had been non-compliant with medication, so it is unknown whether there was definite resolution of the condition. Conclusion: In patients presenting with non-traumatic central cord syndrome, it is vital to identify risk factors for infection in a thoroughly obtained patient history, as well as to maintain a low threshold for diagnostic imaging.