SPF RX - a harm reduction approach to safe prescription medication usage - carolinas care partnership strategic prevention framework for prescription drugs (CCP SPF RX) services will be provided…

SPF RX - a harm reduction approach to safe prescription medication usage - carolinas care partnership strategic prevention framework for prescription drugs (CCP SPF RX) services will be provided throughout mecklenburg county, north carolina (NC), and 11 counties surrounding this metro area. "meck" county is comprised of seven cities and towns-charlotte, cornelius, davidson, huntersville, matthews, mint hill and pineville. The populations of focus include lgbtq and general youth ages 14-18 (high school), lgbtq and general young adults 19-25, and the overall HIV positive community. CCP is applying as a unique candidate agency with an innovative proposal, to serve a thrice-stigmatized population of focus. We are proposing to create a replicable model (potentially scalable at a national level) for prevention infrastructure that is inclusive of those at-risk for or living with HIV/aids and for their families. Award of the RX grant will create: increased and strategic integration (building capacity) of collaboration between organizations and programs impacting social determinants of health that affect our populations of focus; a long-term opportunity for strategic, sustained efforts that can close the existing extreme GAP in services; reduction of SUD and OUD-related problems for those at-risk or living with HIV/aids; an opportunity for targeted prevention efforts to lgbtq youth; youth at-risk or living with HIV/aids; and other youth served through our programs, in addition to the adults who receive our services, and their families; enhance infrastructure to increase the capacity to implement, sustain, and improve effective substance abuse prevention services in the proposed catchment area while raising awareness about the dangers of sharing medications as well as the risks of fake or counterfeit pills purchased over social media or other unknown sources; and work with pharmaceutical and medical communities on the risks of overprescribing. CCP's SPF RX project will employ community-level strategies, environmental strategies, and collaboration to deliver a multi-pronged prevention approach that achieves the following goals: goal 1: enhance strategic collaboration between CCP and local agencies to address prescription drug misuse and abuse among lgbtq youth ages 14-18 (high school), lgbtq young adults 19-25, and the overall HIV positive community. Goal 2: increase awareness and decrease stigma related to opioid use disorders (OUD) and HIV/aids. Goal 3: enhance community collaboration to create a population-specific, prevention-focused and trauma informed cycle of care. Goal 4: reduce prescription drug use among populations of focus through coalition strategies and community partnerships. Goal 5: increase pharmaceutical and medical communities' awareness of the risks of overprescribing to youth and young adults in the catchment area. Goal 6: train and provide resources for first responders, law enforcement and members of other key community sectors on carrying and administering naloxone for emergency treatment of known or suspected opioid overdose.