The Hawaii State Opioid Response (Hawaii SOR 4) project aims to address opioid and stimulant use, misuse, and overdose in the State of Hawaii. Continuing the activities of the Hawaii SOR 3 project, it will expand access to substance use disorder (SUD) treatment and recovery support services for at least 300 individuals annually, totaling 900 individuals over the grant period. With improved telehealth implementation, the State will increase SUD treatment and recovery support services to reach rural areas such as Hana, Maui; Lanai; Molokai; Kauai; and the rural areas of Hawaii Island.
Increased emphasis on prevention and public education activities in Hawaii SOR 4 will allow the state to lay the groundwork for a long-term strategy to prevent substance use and reduce stigma while simultaneously enhancing community resilience. Activities will aim to enhance culture-based education and prevention for children and families, provide school-based and after-school substance use prevention education programs, and offer culturally anchored training for the workforce, stakeholders, and community navigators.
To strengthen the healthcare workforce, the state will offer specialized training on opioid and stimulant use through a Nurse Residency Program targeting new graduate nurses and nurse preceptors. The Hawaii SOR project will also increase Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) care coordination through the Health Enhancement to Reduce Opioid-Use-Disorder (HERO) program, which aims to coordinate referrals and link clients with HCV to OUD treatment.
Support for pregnant and parenting women (PPW) will increase with expanded use of Perinatal Substance Use Disorder (PSUD) peer support and PPW-specific training for Hawaii Coordinated Access to Resources Entry System (Hawaii CARES) staff.
Finally, harm reduction and overdose education will be enhanced by continuing efforts to expand Hawaii's naloxone distribution system and increasing the availability of fentanyl test strips, measures crucial for preventing overdose deaths and promoting safer practices. This project exemplifies how system-wide success is achievable and sustainable through the integration and collaboration of resources, organizations, and activities.