??Address Chiricahua Community Health Centers, Inc. 1205 F Avenue Douglas, AZ 85607 ??Project Director Name Susan Rich, MS ??Contact Phone Numbers (Voice, Fax) 520.515.8576 ext 7576 520.515.8688 ??Email Address surich@cchci.org ??Website Address cchci.org ??Rural Communities Opioid Response Program – Medication Assisted Treatment Access $1,000,000 The purpose of the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) is to reduce the morbidity and mortality of substance use disorders in rural counties. Chiricahua Community Health Centers, Inc. (Chiricahua) proposes with funding from the RCORP–Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) Access Program to create two new access points in Cochise County, Arizona. This funding will not only increase the capacity of MAT services many fold but will create a program with sufficient supportive services to successfully impact morbidity and mortality ensure sustainability. The target service area includes 16 census tracts in Cochise County; essentially the whole county except for the southwestern quadrant. The need is great given that overdose deaths in Cochise County increased 65% from April 2021 to April 2022, the largest spike in the state. Cochise County is designated as both a Health Professional Shortage Area for medical, mental health, and dental services; is a Medically Underserved Area; and Chiricahua is the only Federally Qualified Health Center in the county. Forty-two percent of the population are racial and ethnic minorities; 35.9% are individuals from low-income households; and 16.95% of adults are binge drinkers. In year one, a new MAT access point will be opened at the Benson Family Health Center. The second new access point will open in year three using a mobile medical clinic to offer medication assisted treatment along with primary care services in communities too small to support a traditional clinic. Chiricahua has over 20 years of experience
in operating mobile clinics and will partner with the Cochise County Health & Social Services department, Benson Hospital’s emergency department, and Benson Pharmacy to augment their expertise. Chiricahua has pledged to have all medical providers certified to offer medication assisted treatment by 2023, thus increasing capacity for medication assisted treatment to 30 additional patients per provider. To support both the medical staff and the patients this funding allows for additional behavioral health staff including peer support staff, substance abuse counselors, case managers/navigators, and a psychiatric nurse practitioner. Every effort will be made to enroll patients in health insurance and value-based funding will be sought to support this program.