Saturday, April 20, 2024
4/20/2024
PReventing Opioid Misuse In the SouthEast: PROMISE Initiative 3.0 In effort to reduce the misuse of prescription opioids, the Mississippi State University Extension Service-based PReventing Opioid Misuse In the SouthEast: PROMISE 3.0 project builds upon current United States Department of Agriculture Rural Health and Safety Education and SAMHSA Rural Opioid Technical Assistance-supported work, the PROMISE Initiative, which seeks to promote resiliency among rural communities with focused efforts to reach the agricultural sector. PROMISE 3.0 proposes an upstream approach to opioid misuse prevention through promoting resiliency among these agricultural producers and other adults in rural communities. Prescription opioid misuse continues to be a major problem in the United State, especially among rural populations; 128 Americans are dying every single day from an opioid overdose. Although the opioid epidemic affects individuals all across the United States, the opioid epidemic is disproportionately affecting rural populations. In addition to higher rates of opioid-related overdose deaths being reported in rural areas, there are also higher prescribing rates of opioids in rural areas than other areas. significant portion of these rural communities and economies are driven by the agricultural sector. Three in four farmers and farm workers report being directly impacted by opioid misuse. Resiliency is “the manifestation of positive adaptation despite significant life adversity.” Effective coping skills can enhance resiliency of individuals to deal with stressors and potentially turn away negative coping strategies, such as opioid misuse. We have also noticed a significant need for financial stress and farm management. Many of the stressors in rural communities include financial factors, such as low employment rates and low commodity prices for agricultural producers. Our formative assessment from previous work in this area suggests that community members, including the agricultural sector, are eager to do something about this crisis. The following objectives will be designed, implemented, and evaluated through PROMISE 3.0: (1) Increase the number of rural gatekeepers who are able to identify and refer a community member at risk of opioid misuse or mental health crisis. (2) Increase the number of rural adults, including agricultural producers, who are able to recognize and implement prescription opioid misuse strategies and resources through communication efforts (i.e., targeted message campaign). (3) Increase stress, coping, and farm management skills of rural Mississippians, including agricultural producers, through publicly available trainings, such as direct consultations, web-based trainings, and local or state meetings. (4) Data collection, evaluation, and dissemination of findings from this work.
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).
