Northeast & Caribbean Rural Opioid Technical Assistance Center (NeC-ROTAC), HHS Region 2. - Northeast & Caribbean Rural Opioid Technical Assistance Center (NeC-ROTAC) Project Abstract The proposed project titled the Northeast and Caribbean Rural Opioid Technical Assistance Center (NeC-ROTAC) will be led by the Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene (RFMH) in collaboration with the Rutgers School of Social Work and the Institute of Behavioral Health Implementation (IBHI) in Puerto Rico. The NeC-ROTAC will serve HHS Region 2 (New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands), developing and disseminating training and technical assistance (TTA) related to the prevention, treatment and recovery for opioid use disorder (OUD), stimulant use disorder (StUD), and substance use disorders (SUD). NeC-ROTAC TTA services provided within HHS Region 2 will be targeted in geographically defined rural catchment areas in accordance with a comprehensive typology of federal criteria developed by the project team. The rural landmass in HHS Region 2 is very unique as it spans a 1,500-mile geographic gap, bridging mainland New Jersey and New York with the distinct island territories of Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands (USVI). TTA efforts for the proposed NeC-ROTAC will be targeted to three stakeholder groups for the dissemination of best practices related to prevention, treatment, and recovery for OUD, StUD, and SUD. Tier 1 recipients would be the addictions workforce, defined as a multidisciplinary network of clinical and non-clinical specialists dedicated to preventing and treating individuals with SUDs. TTA for these partners will inform adoption and implementation of best practices to improve overall access to and quality of care. Tier 2 recipients, community partners, will include education institutions (K-12 and universities), first responders, justice systems, faith-based organizations, community coalitions, community health workers and health educators who receive resources and education to prepare them to effectively intervene with individuals at risk. Tier 3 participants, the agrarian workforce, are those that interface with people whose daily life relies heavily on crop cultivation, livestock raising, and agriculture, including the Cooperative Extension system (e.g., faculty and health educators, extension specialists, and county extension leads), farm-focused organizations (e.g., local, regional and national farm bureaus), rural health and safety networks (e.g., AgriSafe Network), and youth leaders (e.g., 4H clubs). TTA for these partners will help to improve their awareness/knowledge of SUD and identify opportunities to enhance outreach by integrating a SUD focus, as appropriate. Proposed NeC-ROTAC responsibilities are stated in 10 areas collectively intended to address prevention, treatment and recovery priorities for OUD/StUD/SUD throughout HHS Region 2. Goals and objectives are aligned with SAMHSA's six (6) strategic priorities, informed by a needs assessment along with anticipated population specific needs derived from the project teams prior experience in delivering TTA in HHS Region 2 through the NeC-ROTAC. TTA strategies will be multifaceted to include interventions of varying intensity (universal, targeted and intensive) delivered via in-person and distance learning formats, organized synchronously and asynchronously, based on needs of the recipient and resources of the NeC-ROTAC. During this three-year project, the NeC-ROTAC will serve a total of 4,000 individuals. During the first year of the proposed project, the estimate of individuals served (n=1,000) is lower to allow for hiring of staff, identifying eligible rural communities, engaging stakeholders in a comprehensive needs assessment that will help to establish the NeC-ROTAC TTA agenda, and to expand collaborative relationships in the region. Estimates for years two and three of the project (n=3,000) reflect the anticipated capacity of a fully operational NeC-ROTAC.
