Rural Communities Opioid Response (Planning) - The Eastern Plains Healthcare Consortium (EPHC) requests $200,000 over two years (09/01/2026 to 08/31/2028) under HRSA-26-036, the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP)-Planning, to strengthen substance use disorder (SUD) and behavioral health planning capacity across a 12-county rural and frontier service area in eastern Colorado. EPHC is a 501(c)(3) regional healthcare consortium founded in 2015, comprising 15 member hospitals and 2 health systems (HCA HealthONE and Banner Health) that collectively serve approximately 146,270 patient encounters annually, employ over 1,200 people, and generate $689 million in regional economic impact. EPHC is a prior HRSA Rural Health Network Development Planning Program recipient. EPHC's target rural service area encompasses 12 counties: Baca, Cheyenne, Huerfano, Kiowa, Lincoln, Logan, Otero, Phillips, Prowers, Sedgwick, Yuma, and Kit Carson, all wholly designated rural or frontier by HRSA. The region faces severe SUD and behavioral health disparities: Huerfano County records the highest opioid overdose death rate in Colorado (77.2 per 100,000) and the second-highest drug overdose death rate (63.3); Kiowa and Sedgwick counties rank among the state's highest for opioid prescribing; all 52 rural/frontier Colorado counties are mental health professional shortage areas; and the rural suicide rate (30.3) is 56% higher than the urban rate (19.4). EPHC qualifies for both RCORP priority points: it is not currently RCORP-funded and has never received RCORP funding. Through this planning grant, EPHC will: (1) conduct a comprehensive needs assessment and gap analysis of SUD/opioid use disorder prevention, treatment, and recovery services across the 12 counties; (2) establish and formalize a multi-sector rural network anchored by clinical backbone partner Colorado ROOTS/Epifluence and Lincoln Health, with additional regional hospital, behavioral health, and public health partners to be engaged during the planning period; (3) develop a strategic plan and sustainability roadmap leveraging a CCA/WHA joint venture and the Azara Healthcare data platform; and (4) build organizational and data infrastructure to coordinate evidence-based, non-duplicative SUD planning aligned with CMS Rural Health Transformation Program activities. The project is led by Project Director Jimmie Bailey III, J.D., under the executive leadership of CEO Zachary D'Argonne, MSW, LCSW. EPHC will not provide direct clinical service delivery; all activities focus on planning, network development, and long-term sustainability. This initiative addresses rural SUD and behavioral health disparities and strengthens local capacity to respond to the opioid crisis, advancing the Administration's Make America Healthy Again priorities.
