The Georgia Council on Substance Abuse (GCSA) Building Communities of Recovery (BCOR) grant project will expand peer recovery support services to individuals presenting to the rural Northeast Georgia Health System emergency department in Lumpkin County Georgia. The BCOR grant program will also allow GCSA to enter formal partnerships with the Hall County Family Treatment Court and Division of Family and Children Services to provide services to pregnant mothers with substance use disorder(SUDs). In addition to peer services, GCSA will facilitate trainings to educate Hall County DFCS staff on the recovery process and the importance of minimizing stigma when working with families. With a population of approximately 33,000 people, Lumpkin County residents often experience challenges when accessing recovery support services. Communities across Georgia have been negatively impacted by the opioid epidemic, especially in rural areas and locations where trust, stigma, and language are major barriers for individuals in and seeking recovery from SUD. The goals of the project are to: increase the number of individuals served in rural communities by providing peer recovery coaching and support to Northeast Georgia Health System's (NGHS) Lumpkin County emergency department; increase the number of pregnant mothers served, specifically those enrolled in Hall County Family Treatment Court, by providing quality peer recovery coaching and support; increase the number of pregnant mothers served, specifically those with active/ongoing cases at Hall County DFCS, by providing quality peer recovery coaching and support; and improve outcomes for DFCS staff and peers by developing and implementing trainings related to recovery from substance use disorder and peer recovery support services. A primary component of this program includes tracking data and outcomes through implementing Plans of Safe Care (POSC) with new and expecting mothers as well as using GPRA measurement tools. Utilizing POSC will allow pregnant women and recovery coaches to work together to identify supports needed to find and maintain recovery from SUD before giving birth to their infants. In addition to serving peers with SUD in a rural emergency department, the overarching goal of the proposed program is to keep mothers, infants, and families healthy and united. Peer coaches will serve as advocates and peers will be connected to recovery supports in the local community. The BCOR program will expand and enhance peer recovery support services in Northeast Georgia. This program is designed to become a model for Peer Recovery Support programs across the United States. Number of individuals to be served: Year 1-50, Year 2-64, Year 3-69. Total served (minimum) = 183.
