The Mountain Plains Addiction Technology Transfer Center (MPATTC) - The Mountain Plains Addiction Technology Transfer Center (MPATTC) will develop and strengthen the capacity of the specialized behavioral health and primary care workforce to provide high-quality, effective SUD treatment/recovery services by: fostering national/regional alliances among culturally diverse practitioners, researchers, policy-makers, funders, colleges/universities including tribal colleges, and the recovery community; accelerating the adoption and implementation of evidence-based, culturally-informed, and promising practices (EBPPs); and heightening the awareness, knowledge, and skills of the workforce that addresses the needs of people with substance use/co-occurring health disorders by using state-of-the-art TTA, innovative web-based tools/products, and proven workforce development activities designed to reflect regional needs. The University of North Dakota (UND) is the applicant for a regional Addiction Technology Transfer Center (ATTC) partnering with the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR). The proposed ATTC will serve the geographic area of HHS Region 8 including: Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming. Both entities have expertise and extensive experience providing TTA events for behavioral health providers residing in frontier/rural areas. National surveys in 2022/2021, found that five of the six states had higher than national rates of: individuals with a SUD; excessive drinking; overdose mortality rates; and past year methamphetamine use. Recent data showed that the largest increase in people who injected drugs and contracted Hepatitis C was found in rural areas while another study reported high rates methamphetamine use especially among individuals seeking treatment for OUDs. Health disparities exist with meth use as an estimated 26.2 out of every 1000 AI/ANs used meth compared to 6.8 out of every 1000 in the US population. Mortality rates and risks for suicide are higher and substance use problems are more severe in frontier/rural areas due to challenges related to: accessibility; affordability; availability; and acceptability of SUD treatment and recovery services. Similar issues regarding acceptability and accessibility can also plague clinicians/peers in frontier/rural areas. Attending in-person TTA events is often geographically prohibitive due to the time and costs associated with traveling to events in R8. As such, the majority of proposed TTA events offered by MPATTC will be conducted virtually. Likewise, web-based activities, such as self-paced learning courses, live webinars and recordings, podcasts/videos will be available. Since frontier/rural clinicians experience professional isolation, opportunities to join MPATTC online consultation sessions can provide learning and support. MPATTC will expand the capacity of the healthcare workforce to deliver quality SUD treatment/recovery services that are recovery-oriented, trauma-informed, and equity-based by: 1) offering Basic/Universal TTA- 24 webinars (annually); 2) Providing Targeted TA to improve EBP skills-12 EPLs per year; 3) 2 Intensive TA activities on Family Based Programs and Contingency Management implementation; 4) 24 virtual onsite consultations per year; 4) 2 Leadership Academies; 5) 3 podcast series; 6) web-based products/tools (4 self-paced courses, posters, and tools); and 7) working with academic institutions to develop collegiate recovery programs as a cross regional event. Events will be informed by Regional stakeholders through an Advisory Board, 5 Workgroups, and SSA group. Letters of Commitment were received from 53 people willing to be part of these groups. Cross-regional/national activities will focus on developing/implementing a TTA event for academic/tribal college faculty on starting a collegiate recovery program and opioid overdose reversal distribution program and on Contingency Management. In Years 1-1,268; Year 2-1,371; Year 3-1,498; Year 4-1,601; and Year 5-1,713 = 7,451 unduplicated people.
