Rural Communities Opioid Response Program-Overdose Response - PROJECT ABSTRACT RURAL COMMUNITIES OPIOD RESPONSE PROGRAM-OVERDOSE RESPONSE Pike County Memorial Hospital intends to establish an opioid overdose response program and will engage with familiar community partners to create an effective outcome. The program will consist of increasing the availability of Naloxone to all first responder agencies, provide Naloxone “leave behind” kits for EMS when responding to an overdose in which the subject refuses to be transported to the Emergency Department after first dosing of Naloxone. The additional dosing kit can be left at the site of the overdose if there is a person that is willing to administer and is capable of understanding verbal and written instructions. In addition, the hospital will start providing Medication Assisted Treatment at one of our four Rural Health Clinics. Emily Jensen, PA has been selected to be the associated provider of this treatment will have MAT Waiver prior to start of grant period. An experienced MD in prescribing of Medication Assisted Treatment and will provide 1 year oversight and mentorship for Emily Jensen, PA per contract. A local peer support group, Celebrate Recovery, will be available and respond to requests for assistance at overdose occurrences and will provide ongoing opportunities for support through individual and group support meetings. Law enforcement commonly respond to overdoses and the Pike County Sheriff’s Department has been a long-standing partner with hospital in efforts to impact the opioid and psychostimulant incidents in Pike County. The Sheriff’s Department will refer those in need of MAT and support services to the program. Additional support and counseling services will be available during days/times that MAT services are scheduled in the clinic. These support and counseling services will be provided by Tarrah Hickerson, LCSW. The Project Director will be the hospital pharmacist, Suzanne Wommack, RPh. She will the responsible lead person for this program and will be responsible for making sure all medications needed for this program are ordered, received, recorded and accounted for according to hospital pharmacy licensure. A Lead paramedic will be on the team and provide response to overdoses and lead the entire EMS team in following developed protocols. The Lead Medic will also collect and report data related to both nonfatal and fatal overdoses and number of Leave Behind kits are distributed and number of subjects that agree to MAT services. The program will include provision of Fentanyl test strips for use in the community. The team will decide locations in the community that the strips will be accessible. The hospital will provide infectious disease testing and provide specialty referrals as indicated for persons presenting for MAT. The hospital will provide assistance to the uninsured in filling out Medicaid applications as needed. The hospital outpatient department will provide Vivitrol injections for persons referred by The Aviary Recovery Center.