Overview
Project ASSERT helps patients in the Day Kimball Hospital Emergency Department access support, education, harm reduction resources, treatment services, medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) and referrals related to opioid and other substance use disorders.
Through personalized engagement and connection to community-based services, the program helps patients navigate treatment options and access the resources they need to support their recovery and overall well-being.
NEED HELP TODAY? Ask to speak with a Health Promotion Advocate in the Emergency Department.
Meet our Project ASSERT Team
We Screen. We Educate. We Connect.
A Health Promotion Advocate (HPA) is a specialized counselor who:
- Screens patients for substance misuse
- Listen, support and help patients navigate their options without judgment
- Helps patients identify treatment options
- Connects patients to treatment programs, primary care, and community resources
- Helps bridge the gap between emergency care and long-term recovery
Our Project ASSERT team includes:
Vanessa Brown, MD, JD, FACEP, FAAEM
Chief Medical Officer and Vice President, Medical Affairs and Quality
Steven Wexler, MD, FAAEMS
DKH HPA Site Champion
Medical Director, Day Kimball Hospital Emergency Department
Christine Collins, LPC
ED Crisis Clinician
Crystal Lanning
Grant Supervisor
Emily Laprade
Health Promotion Advocate
Courtney Peltier
Health Promotion Advocate
Connect to Care
Common Resources
HPAs help link you to local treatment programs, counseling, medications for opioid use disorder, recovery support, and other community resources.
Drug Use & Harm Reduction
Make Safer Choices:
- Risks increase when using illegal drugs, misusing prescription medications, or mixing substances..
To Prevent Overdose:
- Don't use alone
- Carry Naloxone
- Use Fentanyl Strips
If you’re using alone, call SafeSpot’s free, confidential, 24/7 Overdose Spotting Hotline at 1-800-972-0590.
Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD)
Opioid use disorder is a treatable medical condition. MOUD uses FDA approved medications as treatment.
Interested in starting MOUD? Our staff can explore options with you. You may be eligible to start suboxone, buprenorphine, or methadone in the ED today.
DKH ED MOUD program is funded by CT Opioid Settlement