Rural Communities Opioid Response Program-Overdose Response - The Lawrence County (IL) Health Department (LCHD) will use federal DHHS, HRSA Rural Community Opioid Response Program (Overdose Response) funding to address rural health needs related to the provision of substance use disorder (SUD) care, treatment and related support services. The project’s overarching goal is to reduce and prevent the risk of overdoses in an eight-county service area in rural Illinois with a population of approximately 125,000 persons. The eight counties served are Lawrence, Wabash, Crawford, Richland, Jasper, Effingham, Edwards, and Clay. The project will work to establish and expand substance use disorder (SUD) prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery services to very high need populations, including persons residing in HRSA-designated rural areas who are: 1) at-risk for SUD and co-occurring disorders (CODs); 2) experiencing symptoms of SUD; 3) in treatment for SUD; 4) in recovery for SUD; 5) families and/or caregivers of those with SUD; and, 6) other community members negatively impacted by substance use. The project will deliver care and services such as: 1) Substance use prevention services and activities; 2) SUD crisis response and treatment services and supports; and, 3) SUD recovery services and supports, including recovery housing for those in-need. In addition, the project will deliver key wrap-around supports such as high-quality behavioral health services, primary care, care coordination, case management, transportation assistance, and other human and social services as needed. The project will utilize extensive community engagement and evidence-based practices (EBPs) in the delivery of the project’s services, care and supports. All services will be provided in a customer-friendly, family-friendly and culturally responsive manner. Care and service will be made available to all eligible individuals regardless of ability to pay. As part of the project, LCHD plans to collaborate with numerous community-based organizations and care providers throughout the region. This will expand and enhance the impacts and benefits that the project will bring to the eight county service area. Project services will be well-coordinated to maximize efficiency, and target those persons who are most in need. The project directly contributes to HRSA’s three legislative aims of 1) achieving efficiencies in health care 2) expanding access to, coordinate, and improve the quality of essential health care services and 3) strengthen the rural health care system as a whole. LCHD has the organizational experience and capacity needed to carry out the project successfully. With over 100 employees, for decades LCHD has served as the largest public health entity in the project service area. It has management and financial oversight systems in place to ensure that grant funding is spent cost-effectively, and in a transparent and accountable manner. LCHD is requesting $300,000 in federal funding to complete this project successfully.
