Bon Secours brings AmeriCorps into Cincinnati emergency rooms

By PATRICIA CORRIGAN

Some come to talk about their addictions. Some ask for help. Some are hungry. A listening ear, a referral to a treatment center or a turkey sandwich all are available in the emergency departments of five hospitals in Cincinnati, through Mercy Serves, a program initiated six years ago by Mercy Health — Cincinnati, part of Bon Secours Mercy Health. The program is part of the health system’s response to the national opioid epidemic, which has claimed over a million lives.

Each year, Mercy Serves recruits up to 10 volunteers through AmeriCorps, a government-sponsored volunteer organization, to spend 11 months working alongside nurses, other health care providers and social workers in hospital emergency departments. The volunteers provide patient education about addiction and substance use, conduct risk screenings, identify resources for social services and follow up with patients after discharge.

The goal of the program is to leverage the power of the national service movement and build the next generation of service-minded leaders while simultaneously addressing a critical community need.

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“The volunteers come from all different careers, interests and backgrounds, and they are mission-oriented. They do not have to be interested in medical careers to apply, though some are.

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Tikierra

Thompson, who manages the Mercy Serves program