Cheryl Otto sees it all the time: The small window of time when people are willing to seek help for substance use disorders often closes before help is available.
But Otto, a specialist supervisor at Rochester-based Recovery is Happening, said that is changing thanks to new software from St. Paul-based startup YourPath.
For about the past two months, the Rochester nonprofit has been using the startup’s technology to verify insurance and perform assessments of those seeking help in Mower, Dodge and Olmsted counties.
Typically, recovery organizations schedule assessments weeks in advance, allowing time for clients to sink deeper into substance use. It’s a problem YourPath is trying to fix.
The software is all about communication, facilitating virtual talks and completing assessments within 24 hours of a person reaching out, Otto said.
“That is completely unheard of,” she said.
The organization is also now able to use the platform to onboard people with substance use disorders that have checked into Mayo Clinic emergency departments, Otto said.
Apart from being a local company, Burke said he was impressed with YourPath’s “organic results” they “materialized through bootstrapped community work.”
Since its launch in 2020, YourPath has helped more than 4,000 Minnesotans struggling with substance use through virtual care, facilitating referrals and connections to other care providers, and getting those who need it the proper medication.