The south western oklahoma development authoritys (swoda)project targets ten counties in rural southwestern oklahoma which are justice 40 disadvantaged counties

This $1,000,000 Project Grant award from the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) under the Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and other Substances Use Program (CFDA 16.838) aims to reduce unintentional overdose deaths and opioid/stimulant-related hospital admissions in 10 rural counties in southwestern Oklahoma. Key activities include equipping law enforcement and first responders with harm reduction kits, fostering collaboration between first responders and treatment providers, and reducing the availability of diverted prescription medications through drug take-back events and safe storage/disposal solutions. The project will also enhance coordination between first responders, treatment providers, tribal partners, and other COSSUP grantees, while collecting data on program outputs such as naloxone distribution and referrals to medication-assisted treatment. The award recipient is the South Western Oklahoma Development Authority (SWODA), a regional council of governments serving the project area.

Five of these counties include census tracts with persistent poverty. The project area, with a total population of 138,347, includes citizens of eight federally recognized tribes. Swoda will coordinate services with larger tribal populations and other local cossup grantees. The project aims to reduce unintentional overdose deaths and opioid and/or stimulant related admissions to hospitals in the service area, while increasing access to medications for opioid use disorder (moud) treatment. Key activities include equipping law enforcement and first responders with harm reduction kits, fostering collaboration between first responders and treatment providers and reducing the availability of both illicit and prescription medications through drug take back events and distribution of safe storage and disposal solutions. The project will enhance collaboration between first responders, treatment providers, tribal partners, and other cossup grantees, and reduce the availability of diverted or stolen prescription medications through drug take back events and safe storage/disposal solutions.milestones include collection of demographic data on individuals receiving harm reduction kits, tracking naloxone distribution, distributing treatment information via emergency medical services, and collecting demographics on patients seen via mobile mat clinic operation. The project will also monitor referrals to moud and other SUD treatments from law enforcement and first responder agencies.