Thursday, April 25, 2024
4/25/2024
The Pennsylvania Department of Health is proposing the following project titled Strategies to Coordinate Overdose Prevention Efforts (SCOPE). The project aims to train First Responders through an already established, and effective, curricula on subjects that will improve access and utilization of naloxone, and facilitate effective connection of patients with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) to treatment and nontreatment resources. First responders include law enforcement, emergency medical services (EMS) and fire departments in a thirty-three county catchment area comprising 43% of overdose, 48% of the population, and 22% of the naloxone distributed but not utilized by the county first responders throughout the statewide naloxone distribution led by the Governor’s office in Pennsylvania. The catchment area includes Perry, Monroe, Lehigh, Bradford, Butler, Erie, Delaware, Luzerne, Cambria, Beaver, Somerset, Wayne, Armstrong, Blair, McKean, Northampton, Lycoming, Lebanon, Greene, Chester, Bedford, Bucks, Dauphin, Tioga, York, Lancaster, Wyoming, Montour, Jefferson, Mercer, Northumberland, Indiana, and Crawford counties. Training objectives for First Responders include: (1) utilizing naloxone for emergency treatment of a known or suspected opioid overdose in a culturally competent and patient-centered manner; (2) using motivational interviewing principles to conduct referrals and “warm handoffs” to help patients access OUD, SUD, and/or mental health evaluation and treatment as well as nontreatment resources; (3) increasing access and utilization of naloxone through “leave behinds” to ensure the health and safety of persons refusing services; and (4) training and providing resources to first responders on safety around fentanyl, carfentanil, and other dangerous/illicit drugs. The SCOPE First Responders project aims to serve at least 1320 unduplicated individuals through a guided pathway of an in-person training followed by online refresher trainings, a coordination meeting to create a draft warm-handoff pathway, and identification of a county first responder champion in each of the 33 counties who will receive additional training and concierge technical assistance as the champion conducts a second in-person training in his/her county. The Pennsylvania Department of Health will be collaborating with the Program Evaluation and Research Unit (PERU) at the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy who will be providing training, technical assistance, and project evaluation activities.
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).
