Emergency rooms are the last safety net for the sickest, most marginalized people. People with addiction often end up in emergency departments following an overdose, during withdrawal, or with other health problems.

A new approach is linking people with addiction to drug treatment from a hospital emergency department, instead of just sending them out the door when they’re well again. Two doctors, one emergency department, a social worker, and a person with addiction in recovery show how emergency rooms can become the gateway for people with addiction to access evidence-based drug treatment and other help they may need.