Friday, May 9, 2025
5/9/2025
Rural Communities Opioid Response Program-Overdose Response - Address: Arkansas Behavioral Health Integration Network, 8455 Edgemont Drive, Greers Ferry, AR 72067 Project Director: Kim Shuler, LCSW Contact Information: 479-871-3611, kim.shuler@abhinetwork.org Website: www.abhinetwork.org Grant Funds Requested: $299,999.70 Need: In 2021, 628 individuals in Arkansas died from a drug overdose, an increase of more than 16% compared to 2020. Emergency Departments (EDs) can play a significant role in reducing overdoses and death. Patients admitted to the ED for an overdose are at greatly elevated risk for experiencing another nonfatal overdose or an overdose death. Evidence shows that EDs are making a significant impact through increased screening, initiating medications to treat addiction during the ED encounter, and by facilitating connections with harm reduction, treatment, and recovery services. Peer recovery support workers (PRS) are proving to be an integral part of the care team treating substance use disorders (SUD) and overdoses in ED settings. Arkansas has worked hard to develop a strong PRS credentialing program, which represents a critical resource for the state, especially for rural areas that face significant barriers to the limited services available. However, only four EDs in the state have incorporated PRS into SUD and overdose response workflows. Program Description: The Arkansas Rural Opioid Use Team Education Emergency Department Peer Support Training and Placement program (AROUTE-ED) was developed in response to immediate needs in the target area for increased access to SUD services. The project will build capacity of ten EDs by implementing a nine-hour training program and facilitating placement of 8 PRS in ED settings. The project will focus on two allowable activities: Activity 5) Training peer recovery support specialists and coordinating placements in local SUD service delivery sites, such as emergency departments, primary care, jails/prisons, behavioral health care clinics, etc. Activity 8) Providing Continuing Education Units (CEU) as well as Continuing Medical Education Units (CME) that are recognized by their respective boards, which allow for providers to enhance their ability to provide care to individuals with SUD. During the first six months of the program, peer, behavioral health, and physician trainers will provide 9 contact hours of training with CEUs/CMEs for 20 ED/hospital staff and 8 PRS. After training completion, the project team and three local recovery community organizations (RCOs) will coordinate placement of 8 PRS in 10 EDs across North Arkansas. Peers will work in ED settings during the last five months of the program. During this time, medical and peer consultants will provide support for ED/hospital staff as they integrate peer services, develop and refine workflows, and train non-peer staff on the value and scope of peer services, the science of addiction, and best practices in SUD prevention, treatment, and recovery. Program staff will also support EDs/hospitals and RCOs in sustainability planning, including consultation/training on billing for SUD services, support for funding applications, and support for data collection/reporting to demonstrate the impact peer services have on SUD outcomes. Target region and population: The target service area includes 22 rural counties across North Arkansas: Baxter, Boone, Carroll, Clay, Cleburne, Cross, Fulton, Greene, Independence, Izard, Jackson, Lawrence, Madison, Marion, Mississippi, Newton, Poinsett, Randolph, Searcy, Stone, Sharp, and Van Buren. These counties are economically depressed, have a high prevalence of SUD and face significant systemic and structural barriers to SUD prevention, treatment, and recovery services. The target population includes people at increased risk of overdose and SUD, including vulnerable populations that have historically experienced inequities in health outcomes, access, and quality of care.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).