Sallisaw NOW Coalition’s Opioid Overdose Prevention, Training, and Recovery Partnership Project (FR-CARA) - The Sallisaw NOW Coalition’s Opioid Overdose Prevention, Training, and Recovery Partnership Project (FR-CARA) project will serve individuals across six rural counties, including Sequoyah, Cherokee, Wagoner, Adair, LeFlore, and Muskogee Counties. Under this grant, staff will utilize evidence-based overdose response methods, provide targeted Naloxone trainings, establish robust referral processes, and educate community members to reduce stigma, and build culturally appropriate recovery networks. Regionally, there has been an increase in substance misuse coupled with low treatment rates which highlights the need for adult residential treatment options. The purpose of the project is to educate and equip the community and first responders to best respond to overdose by raising awareness of existing resources, utilizing approved life-saving overdose reversal medications, and encouraging sustainable, trauma-informed recovery networks and referral processes. Over the course of four years, this project will train 800 unduplicated individuals and reach over 14,000 with information dissemination and outreach strategies. Project efforts will be informed by the FRCARA Advisory Council comprised of key stakeholders from the local communities which will ensure representation in the development of policies, outreach, and partnerships. The program will build upon existing strategic partnerships and rely heavily on engagement with first responders which will be imperative to its success and sustainability.
