axialHealthcare Partners with Shatterproof to End Substance Use Disorder Stigma

NASHVILLE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--axialHealthcare, a care optimization company navigating substance use issues for patients, providers, and health plans, today announced it has partnered with national nonprofit Shatterproof to support its strategy to end substance use disorder (SUD) stigma.

“Addiction stigma is still pervasive within our communities, and until society changes its view on the disease, the millions of Americans with SUD will continue to face unnecessary barriers to treatment instead of receiving the lifesaving care they deserve,” said Carter Paine, Chief Executive Officer at axialHealthcare. “As a company dedicated to improving care for individuals with SUD, we’re honored to collaborate with Shatterproof on this important initiative.”

In The Movement to End Addiction Stigma, Shatterproof identifies nine drivers of the opioid epidemic in the U.S. Stigma is a primary or partial contributor to seven of these drivers, including insufficient treatment capacity, gaps in evidence-based treatment, and societal barriers to recovery like housing, employment, and education discrimination.

"Our in-market recovery partners and peer recovery specialists have first-hand experience with stigma. Whether through their own lived experience or their work with patients currently receiving treatment, the team sees the significant impact stigma has on an individual's ability to achieve and sustain recovery," said Dr. Dirk Wales, Chief Medical Officer at axialHealthcare. “How can we expect patients to recover when there is still widespread misunderstanding of this disease?”

As a member of the movement, axialHealthcare will support implementation of the strategy by leveraging key tools for health plan partners and their provider and member networks and collaborating on unique opportunities focused on reducing addiction stigma.

“We’re thrilled to have axialHealthcare join us in our bold mission. Their unique insight on the challenges patients, providers, and health plans face when it comes to offering and accessing quality addiction treatment will be tremendously helpful in executing our national strategy,” says Gary Mendell, Shatterproof Founder and Chief Executive Officer.

About axialHealthcare
axialHealthcare connects patients, providers, and health plans with an end-to-end platform that covers the entire substance use spectrum. Leveraging services grounded in analytics, our risk to recovery platform identifies patients at risk, prevents escalation in their condition, and supports appropriate treatment enrollment and adherence. This analytically driven community-based approach delivers measurable clinical and financial outcomes by effectively managing cost of care while supporting sustained recovery for patients with substance use disorder. For more information, visit www.axialhealthcare.com.

About Shatterproof
Shatterproof is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to reversing the course of the addiction crisis in America. Shatterproof is focused on ensuring American substance use disorder treatment is based upon proven research and ending the stigma of addiction. The organization advocates for changes to federal and state policy, payer reform, treatment quality assessment, and provides public education through online programs.