Rx Outreach builds first St. Louis community pharmacy in partnership with ARCA to rid barriers, promote health

ST. LOUIS, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Rx Outreach, the country's largest nonprofit digital pharmacy, will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony 2:30 p.m., March 28, 10208 West Florissant Ave. to commemorate the opening its first community pharmacy through a partnership with Assisted Recovery Center of America (ARCA). ARCA, a St. Louis-based behavioral health organization and the largest in Missouri, provides mental health and addiction treatment services for adult patients to help promote healing and health.

Located in north St. Louis County's Dellwood community, the building consists of shared, separate space for ARCA and Rx Outreach. After a patient receives treatment, they can conveniently enter the RxO Community Pharmacy for affordable prescriptions. The objective of the partnership is to offer a barrier-free approach to wellness and empower patients to take charge of their care.

"We are pleased to partner with ARCA to help individuals achieve their goals of recovery," said Rx Outreach president and CEO Julie Erickson. "Our country is experiencing both a substance abuse and mental health crisis, and we recognize the challenges people face in recovery. We believe the proximity of the ARCA's treatment center and our pharmacy will help eliminate barriers and promote healthy outcomes."

According to a 2023 State of Mental Health in America report by Mental Health of America, 21% of adults (51 million) have a mental health disorder and 15% of adults (37 million) had a substance abuse addiction in the past year. Missouri is facing a mental health and substance abuse crisis, and the highest mortality rates due to substance abuse are found in north St. Louis County. Currently, the clinic serves 741 active patients within a two-mile radius of the Dellwood Clinic.

"ARCA's commitment to take treatment where it is most needed was fulfilled with the opening of the clinic in Dellwood in early January. This is the third clinic we operate in the St Louis area, said ARCA President and Founder Percy Menzies. "In addition, ARCA collaborates with over a dozen treatment centers, provides telemedicine services at 39 sites and transitional living facilities for over 160 patients. A key component of successful treatment is having a pharmacy onsite. We are immensely pleased to collaborate with Rx Outreach in this endeavor."

RxO Community Pharmacy is staffed with a pharmacist and health coach who will help patients access other community resources such as support for housing, utilities, and/or food if needed. The pharmacy has a limited medication inventory and does not carry pain medications.

About Rx Outreach

Rx Outreach is the nation's largest, nonprofit, fully licensed, digital pharmacy and offers more than 950 medication strengths for people who are uninsured or under insured. Rx Outreach partners with hundreds of clinics and organizations across the U.S. to provide a crucial health safety net for those unable to access affordable medication. Rx Outreach began as an internal program at Express Scripts and became a separate charity in 2010. Since then, Rx Outreach has saved people in need more than $1 billion on their prescription medications compared to retail costs. For more information, visit www.rxoutreach.org.

About Assisted Recovery Center of America

Assisted Recovery Centers of America (ARCA), established in 2001, is the region's premier center for mental health and substance use disorder treatment services. ARCA provides a full continuum of integrated substance use and mental health disorder treatments and delivers services through ambulatory care offices, telehealth, and transitional housing programs. Since its early years, ARCA has worked closely with community partners to provide compassionate and innovative care to promote healing and thriving for individuals, families, and communities. For more information, visit https://www.arcamidwest.com.

SOURCE Rx Outreach