Project Grant H79TI085463

COMAT: COMMUNITY OUTREACH MAT INITIATIVE - COMAT INCREASES THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WITH OUD RECEIVING MOUD & DECREASES ILLICIT OPIOID DRUG USE/RX OPIOID MISUSE IN ADULTS WITH OPIOID USE DISORDER (OUD) SEEKING/RECEIVING MAT WHO ARE LIVING/BEING TREATED IN RURAL MERCER, MCDOWELL & WYOMING COUNTIES, WV. THE FOCUS POP. SUFFERS HIGH OPIOID OVERDOSE DEATHS, POOR SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH, HIGH INFECTIOUS DISEASE RATES & MULTIGENERATIONAL DRUG USE. COMAT SERVES 200 CLIENTS/YEAR (1,000 TOTAL). PROJECT GOALS & MEASURABLE OBJECTIVES (INTERVENTIONS/STRATEGIES) ARE TO (1) INCREASE THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS WITH OUD RECEIVING MOUD BY INCREASING WORKFORCE CAPACITY BY (A) EXPANDING WORKFORCE CAPACITY BY HIRING & TRAINING 3 CASE MANAGERS, 3 PEER RECOVERY SUPPORT SPECIALISTS (PRSS), 1 PROJECT DIRECTOR, AN EVALUATION TEAM & INCREASING MED. PROVIDER/DIRECTOR TIME; (B) INCREASING MAT SERVICE CAPACITY TO INCREASE THE NUMBER AND SPEED OF PSYCHIATRIC EVALUATIONS, THUS REDUCING CLIENT WAIT TIMES BY 10% BY THE END OF THE 5-YEAR GRANT PERIOD; (C) EXPANDING THE PRESCRIPTION DRUG MONITORING PROGRAM (PDMP) USE BY ENSURING THAT THREE SHCMHC DELEGATES ARE TRAINED TO USE THE PDMP & (D) ENSURING THAT THE NEWLY HIRED MEDICAL PROVIDER OBTAINS A DATA WAIVER TO PRESCRIBE BUPRENORPHINE TO MORE THAN 30 PATIENTS. (2) INCREASE THE # OF INDIVIDUALS WITH OUD RECEIVING MOUD BY EXPANDING COMMUNITY OUTREACH BY (A) CONDUCTING A 5-YEAR OVERDOSE FATALITY ANALYSIS WITH THE PURPOSE OF DEVELOPING A TARGETED OUTREACH STRATEGY TO REDUCE COMMUNITY OVERDOSE; (B) PARTNERING WITH THE QRT TO APPLY THE RING IMMUNIZATION MODEL TO OVERDOSE VICTIMS; (C) CONDUCTING TWO CULTURALLY COMPETENT OUTREACH ACTIVITIES IN EACH COUNTY IN EACH QUARTER; (D) CONDUCTING QUARTERLY SPECIALIZED DISPARITY GROUP OUTREACH EVENTS TO ENGAGE THE DISPARITY POPULATIONS (LGBT+, AFRICAN AMERICAN, VETERANS & THOSE IN POVERTY); (E) PROVIDING TRANSPORTATION SERVICES TO CLIENTS WHO LACK TRANSPORTATION OR BROADBAND SERVICES; (F) PROVIDING SERVICES TO COMAT CLIENT FAMILY MEMBERS; (G) SCREENING LOCAL INMATES FOR OUD, PROVIDE SERVICE REFERRALS, INTAKES & TRANSPORTATION TO APPROPRIATE SERVICES UPON RELEASE; (H) PURCHASING AVATAR CARE ROUTING SOFTWARE TO MAXIMIZE ON-CALL WORKFORCE CAPACITY & (I) CONTINUING PARTNERING WITH ONE VOICE AND COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS IN SUPPORT OF HARM REDUCTION. (3) IMPROVE OUTCOMES FOR ADULTS WITH OUD SEEKING OR RECEIVING MAT BY (A) SERVING 200 CLIENTS EACH YEAR; (B) DECREASING ILLICIT OPIOID DRUG USE AND RX OPIOID MISUSE AT 6-MONTH FOLLOW-UP; (C) EMPOWERING CLIENTS TO EXPERIENCE SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN NOMS MENTAL HEALTH OUTCOMES AT 6-MONTH FOLLOW-UP; (D) EMPOWERING 80% OF CLIENTS TO REMAIN IN TREATMENT FOR AT LEAST 6-MONTHS THROUGHOUT THE LIFE OF THE GRANT; (E) MONITORING DISPARITY GROUP OUTCOMES TO ENSURE EQUAL ACCESS/OUTCOMES; (F) PARTNERING WITH TUG RIVER TO PROVIDE INFECTIOUS DISEASE SERVICES & (G) IDENTIFYING A STAFF MEMBER TO BE TRAINED IN RX FOR CHANGE AND TO DEVELOP/IMPLEMENT A TOBACCO CESSATION PROGRAM FOR CLIENTS WITH OUD WHO ARE RECEIVING MOUD. (4) SUSTAIN COMAT SERVICES BEYOND GRANT FUNDING BY (A) CREATING A SUSTAINABILITY PLAN FOR EACH COMAT BUDGET LINE ITEM TO ENSURE SUSTAINABILITY & (B) SUSTAINING CLIENT/FAMILY MEMBER ENGAGEMENT IN THE PROGRAM BY INVOLVING CLIENTS/FAMILY MEMBERS IN THE COMAT ADVISORY BOARD.