The kansas city substance abuse treatment and recovery support coalition (KC-satrsc) is comprised of approximately sixty kansas city-based agencies that are aligned to fight the opioid epidemic by…

The kansas city substance abuse treatment and recovery support coalition (KC-satrsc) is comprised of approximately sixty kansas city-based agencies that are aligned to fight the opioid epidemic by providing services to those who are afflicted with substance use disorder and their family members. IT is made up of faith-based providers, community substance abuse and mental health treatment centers, local medical centers, prevention providers, and other community-based organizations, agencies and institutions. These partners work collectively to provide a network of treatment, prevention, and recovery support services to address the mental health and substance abuse issues in kansas city and other areas of the missouri western region. The purpose of KC-satrsc is to support and enhance existing programs in the kansas city area for individuals and their families whose lives are impacted by the use of alcohol and/or other drugs. These agencies, along with other community organizations, city, county, state, and federal government agencies, operate in a recovery oriented system of care (rosc) to deliver services to thousands of people every year. This vista project will build long-term sustainability for the coalition and its front line member organizations. The involvement of vistas at the individual agencies will assist them to strengthen their efforts in the low income, primarily minority communities of kansas city that are being devastated by opioids and other drugs. Along with six member agencies hosting a vista, two full-time vistas will support of the kansas city addiction treatment and recovery support coalition to help take its message to the broader community. This involves supporting efforts currently underway such as the "recovery works" and the "stand for recovery" messaging campaigns. These are intended to increase community awareness about substance use disorder, promote access to services and to reduce the shame associated with suds. Increased communication, education and reshaping attitudes around recovery will all work to strengthen kansas city's low income, primarily minority communities. The vistas assigned to the coalition will also provide grant writing and volunteer support, event planning and other capacity building tasks. They will also provide support to member agencies through provision of resources and assistance with the certification processes with the state department of mental health and the national alliance for recovery residences.