“We want to be partners with state governments by providing access to a digital network to serve their clients,” said Bill Dudley, Sober Peer’s government affairs liaison. “By engaging directly with state leaders, we can more easily reach their citizens who will get the most benefit from new mobile health technology.”

State budgets have been crushed by loss of tax revenue and expenses related to the pandemic. There are a number of options for state government to utilize Sober Peer for stretching their budgets and improving treatment outcomes, including:

• Treatment Centers. State-run facilities use the platform for both in-patient and outpatient services. Through the mobile app, we help citizens who don’t have a treatment provider nearby or start treatments when there aren’t any in-patient spaces available. Post-treatment follow-up and support through Sober Peer help sustain hard-won recovery progress.
• Family & Children’s Services. Nearly half of all families who receive public assistance have some kind of substance use issue that impact the household. Sober Peer offers a sup-port tool for families to learn how to engage with family members’ addiction issues.
• Health and Human Services. Our subscription can paid as a reimbursable expense for people that qualify for Medicaid. Military Veterans Services. Many veterans struggle with addiction issues and Sober Peer offers a simple way to stay connected and provide continuous care as an outpatient telehealth solu-tion that can be used individually or as group support tool.
• Jail/Drug Court. As the costs of incarceration continue to skyrocket, our platform offers a simple, secure way to engage person in diversion programs, as well as probation and parole. The geo-fencing function and cognitive behavioral tools serve as a digital ankle bracelet for managing probation/treatment.

“Considering social distancing and other COVID-19 concerns, both states and healthcare providers understand that mobile technology is tailor-made for their clients, who use smart phone apps for everything,” says Dudley. “It’s a tool that provides greater behavioral insight much more quickly and reduces the need for in-person visits while giving healthcare professionals more time to treat more people.”