Rural Communities Opioid Response Program-Overdose Response - To help alleviate recovery barriers, and to reduce fatal and non-fatal overdoses, we are proposing to help establish a recovery community organization (RCO) and develop related supports for individuals with SUD/OUD or who are in recovery in entirely rural Rowan County. There is an RCO in Rowan County that is in its very early stages of development. At this point, the RCO exists only on paper and through a volunteer board of directors. There are no services being offered, no physical location in which it exists, and it has no tangible community presence. The board of directors that has been selected (and which began meeting several months ago) is comprised of peer support specialists along with representatives from local government, business and commerce, recovery and treatment facilities, the local hospital, and other related entities. In an effort to reduce Rowan County’s drug overdose death rate, our goal is to use this funding to fully establish the Rowan County Recovery Community Organization. The following goals and objectives were selected in order to address the requirements of the RCORP-Overdose Response grant program and Rowan County’s high rate of drug overdose deaths: GOAL 1: Establish a recovery community organization. (Allowable Activity #11) Objective 1A: Transition/hire staff to initiate project implementation. Objective 1B: Identify and hire a director for the recovery community organization (RCO). Objective 1C: Enter into MOA/MOUs with primary care and SUD/OUD treatment providers, government entities, businesses, etc., to facilitate the RCO’s ability to link individuals in recovery to health, social, and employment services. Objective 1D: Occupy a physical space that is easily accessible to individuals in or seeking recovery, including those who have limited transportation options. GOAL 2: Establish social services to support individuals in recovery, such as childcare services during doctor’s appointments, transportation to treatment and counseling, connections to recovery-friendly employment opportunities, etc. (Allowable Activity #12) Objective 2A: Provide housing stipends for RCO clients in need to ensure they move into/stay in safe living situations. Objective 2B: Link RCO clients to recovery-friendly employment opportunities and, when/if necessary, provide employment stipends to local businesses to cover up to four weeks of employment for individuals in recovery. Objective 2C: Host one or more recovery-friendly employer forums in coordination with the Morehead-Rowan County Chamber of Commerce. Objective 2D: Purchase a passenger van to provide transportation services to clients of the RCO (e.g., to treatment and counseling appointments). GOAL 3: Assist uninsured individuals with SUD/OUD in the target rural service area with obtaining health insurance and accessing SUD/OUD treatment and other behavioral health and social services. (Allowable Activity #4) Objective 3A: Assist uninsured individuals with SUD/OUD with obtaining health insurance. Objective 3B: Assist individuals with SUD/OUD with accessing treatment. Objective 3C: Assist individuals with SUD/OUD with accessing behavioral and social services. The Rowan County RCO will improve access to SUD/OUD services for those who have limited transportation options, are confused about where to begin their recovery journey, need support as their family member goes through SUD/OUD treatment and recovery, and to those who simply need a warm handoff facilitated by someone who has navigated their own successful recovery journey.
