Project Grant H79SP083149

PROJECT OPS (OVERDOSE PREVENTION SERVICES). - IMPACT LIFE PROPOSES PROJECT OPS (OVERDOSE PREVENTION SERVICES) TO IMPLEMENT A COMMUNITY-BASED OUTREACH AND EDUCATION PROGRAM THROUGHOUT THE DE TO REDUCE OVERDOSE DEATHS, INCREASE AWARENESS OF THE RISK OF OPIOID USE AND OVERDOSE, INCREASE KNOWLEDGE OF SAFE PRESCRIBING AND SAFE DISPOSAL, REDUCE STIGMA RELATED TO SUD, INCREASE HARM REDUCTION ACTIVITIES AND INCREASE ACCESS TO BEHAVIORAL HEALTH TREATMENT, PREVENTION, AND NAVIGATION TO SERVICES. POPULATION OF FOCUS (POF): OUR POPULATIONS OF FOCUS ARE INDIVIDUALS AGED 13 AND OLDER RESIDING IN RURAL AND URBAN COMMUNITIES, PART OF THE LGBTQI+ COMMUNITY, AND/OR RACIAL AND ETHNIC MINORITIES, INCLUDING AFRICAN AMERICAN AND LATINO WOMEN AND MEN, GAY AND BISEXUAL MEN, TRANSGENDERED PERSONS WITH A SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER (SUD), MENTAL HEALTH (MH) OR CO-OCCURRING SUBSTANCE ABUSE/MENTAL HEALTH (SA/MH) DISORDERS (COD) AND WHO ARE AT RISK FOR, OR HAVE HIV/AIDS AND/OR HEPATITIS. INDIVIDUALS IN RECOVERY AND THOSE WHO ARE RE-ENTERING SOCIETY POST-INCARCERATION OR ON COMMUNITY SUPERVISION WILL ALSO BE INCLUDED. STRATEGIES AND INTERVENTIONS: IMPACT LIFE PROPOSES TO MODEL PROJECT OPS ON PROJECT LAZARUS, AN EVIDENCE-BASED OVERDOSE PREVENTION PROGRAM. PROJECT LAZARUS WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2007 IN RESPONSE TO EXTREMELY HIGH OVERDOSE MORTALITY RATES IN WILKES COUNTY, NC AND UTILIZES A PUBLIC HEALTH APPROACH TO ADDRESSING THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC THROUGH ADDRESSING COMMUNITIES AND INDIVIDUALS BY PROVIDING ACCESS TO THE FOLLOWING SERVICES: COALITION FORMATION, CAPACITY BUILDING, AND SUSTAINABILITY; SAFE PRESCRIBING PRACTICES FOR PROVIDERS; OPIOID OVERDOSE EDUCATION, AWARENESS, AND SAFE MEDICATION USAGE MATERIALS; DISTRIBUTION OF NALOXONE; DRUG TAKE BACK INITIATIVES (COMMUNITY BASED MEDICATION DISPOSAL PROGRAM); PEER-GUIDED RECOVERY SUPPORT SERVICES; CREATING AND MANAGING A SYSTEM FOR DATA COLLECTION INCLUDING LOCAL AND STATE DATA ON OVERDOSE AND POISONING RATES. STAFF WILL BE TRAINED IN CULTURALLY INFORMED, EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES FOR ENGAGING WITH THE POF, WILL HAVE LIVED EXPERIENCE AND EMPLOY PEER SUPPORT STRATEGIES TO PROJECT OUTREACH ENDEAVORS. PROJECT GOALS AND MEASURABLE OBJECTIVES: PROJECT GOALS ARE: COLLECTION OF DATA RELATED TO THE DRUG OVERDOSE EPIDEMIC IN DELAWARE; COMMUNITY BASED EDUCATION ABOUT SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER (SUD) AND RESOURCES; CROSS SECTION COLLABORATION AMONG PROJECTS AND EFFORTS; STATE AND COMMUNITY CAPACITY BUILDING. PROJECT OPS WILL MEET PROGRAM OBJECTIVES TO REDUCE DRUG OVERDOSE DEATHS IN DE BY ENGAGING COMMUNITY PARTNERS IN DISCUSSIONS AND PROGRAMS AROUND OVERDOSE PREVENTION SERVICES INCLUDING COMMUNITY-BASED HEALTH FAIRS, NALOXONE DISTRIBUTION, AND EVENTS THAT INCLUDE PERSONS IN RECOVERY, THOSE IN ACTIVE ADDICTION, SCHOOLS, LOCAL BUSINESS OWNERS, FAITH LEADERS, HEALTHCARE AND SOCIAL SERVICE PROVIDERS, LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND ELECTED OFFICIALS. WE PLAN TO BUILD A COALITION OF EXPERTS AND THE INDIVIDUALS LISTED ABOVE, WHO WILL GUIDE THE EFFORTS OF THE PROGRAM INCLUDING THE CREATION OF EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS AND TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, MEDICAL PROVIDERS, SCHOOLS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT. A LOCAL NEEDS ASSESSMENT OF EXISTING PROVIDERS WHO SERVE OUR POF AND PEOPLE IN RECOVERY WILL AID IN DATA COLLECTION AND WILL INCLUDE SURVEYS AND FOCUS GROUPS TO DETERMINE WHAT TRAINING WILL BE USEFUL TO THEM. THE PROJECT WILL SERVE A TOTAL OF 3,570 INDIVIDUALS WITH GRANT DOLLARS, AS DEMONSTRATED IN THE TABLE BELOW: PROJECTED NUMBER OF UNDUPLICATED INDIVIDUALS TO BE REACHED WITH GRANT FUNDS YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 TOTAL NUMBER OF SERVICE ENCOUNTERS 790 790 790 2,370 NUMBER OF REFERRALS TO SUPPORT SERVICES 200 200 200 600 NUMBER OF LINKAGES TO SUPPORT SERVICES 200 200 200 600