Project Grant H79TI085561

NEBRASKA BUILDING COMMUNITIES OF RECOVERY - SUMMARY: THE PROJECT WILL HELP NEBRASKA ADULTS (18 YEARS AND OLDER) EXPERIENCING SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS, AND YOUTH WHO MAY BE AT RISK FOR SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS (SUDS) TO LIVE INDEPENDENTLY AND EXPERIENCE RECOVERY WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITY. THE PROJECT WILL DELIVER PEER RECOVERY SUPPORT SERVICES (PRSS), AND OUTREACH ACTIVITIES THROUGH PROMOTION AND EDUCATION TO UNDER-RESOURCED RURAL COMMUNITIES. PROJECT NAME: "NEBRASKA BUILDING COMMUNITIES OF RECOVERY." SHORT TITLE: NEBCOR PROGRAM. POPULATIONS TO BE SERVED: THE PROJECT WILL INCLUDE THREE RURAL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH REGIONS (BHRS), EXCLUDING METROPOLITAN AREAS, AND WILL PARTNER WITH LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS, WELLNESS ORGANIZATIONS, AND COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS LOCATED IN NON-METROPOLITAN STATISTICAL AREAS. ACCORDING TO THE 2019 NATIONAL SURVEY ON DRUG USE AND HEALTH (NSDUH), 5,535 INDIVIDUALS AGED 12 OR OVER WERE AFFECTED WITH AN ILLICIT DRUG DEPENDENCE IN THE CATCHMENT AREA. POPULATION IN THE CATCHMENT AREA SHOWS HIGHER PREVALENCE OF HEROIN AND CIGARETTE USE WHEN COMPARED TO THE REST OF THE BHRS. NATIONWIDE, NEBRASKA IS RANKED 3RD AFTER NORTH DAKOTA AND WISCONSIN WITH THE HIGHEST PREVALENCE OF BINGE ALCOHOL USE. STRATEGIES/INTERVENTIONS: THROUGH TARGETED COLLABORATION WITH HEALTH DEPARTMENTS, JAILS, HOSPITALS, AND RECOVERY COMMUNITY NETWORKS, THE PROGRAM WILL EXPAND PEER RECOVERY SUPPORT SERVICES AND BUILD STRONGER COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS TO REDUCE STIGMA, AND BUILD SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES OF RECOVERY IN NEBRASKA. THIS WILL INCLUDE THE EXPANSION OF HARM REDUCTION EDUCATION AND SUPPORT FOR RURAL COMMUNITIES IN NEBRASKA. THE NEBRASKA BCOR PROJECT WILL UTILIZE EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE(S) AND EVIDENCE-INFORMED PRACTICES, CURRENTLY TAUGHT BY WELLBEING INITIATIVE, INC. THE PROGRAM WILL PROVIDER IN-PERSON SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER SCREENING, AND UTILIZE TELEHEALTH OR VIDEOCONFERENCING MODELS. AS RESEARCH HAS SHOWN (WANG ET AL., 2021;WEINTRAUB ET AL., 2021), THIS HYBRID APPROACH WILL RESULT IN GREATER ACCESS TO CARE AND RETENTION OF SERVICES. THE PEER RECOVERY SUPPORT SPECIALIST WILL PROVIDE RECOVERY SUPPORT IN APPROPRIATE SYSTEM NAVIGATION TO FORMAL TREATMENT SURVICES, AND INFORMAL RECOVERY SUPPORT NETWORKS BASED ON PARTICIPANTS' PERSON GOALS. PROJECT GOALS AND MEASURABLE OBJECTIVES: GOAL 1: PROVIDE PEER RECOVERY SUPPORT SERVICES TO PERSONS EXPERIENCING SUD IN RURAL COMMUNITIES OF NEBRASKA. OBJECTIVE 1.1: PROVIDE PEER RECOVERY SUPPORT SERVICES TO 450 INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING SUD IN DIVERSE RURAL COMMUNITY SETTINGS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRETY OF THE PROJECT. GOAL 2: PROVIDE SUD EDUCATION AND ADVOCACY TO REDUCE DISCRIMINATION AND STIGMA ACROSS THE STATE. OBJECTIVE 2.1: PROVIDE YOUTH SUD EDUCATION DESIGNED TO REDUCE DISCRIMINATION AND STIGMA FOR PEOPLE WITH SUD, TO 100 STUDENT AND FAMILY MEMBERS EACH YEAR OF THE GRANT. GOAL 3: DEVELOP COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH 3 PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENTS TO PROVIDE A RANGE OF INCLUSIVE PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION MEASURES FOR PARTICIPANTS WITH SUD. OBJECTIVE 3.1: PROVIDE 3 PARTNERING PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT LINKAGES TO PARTICIPANTS SEEKING EDUCATION, SCREENING, CARE COORDINATION, RISK REDUCTION INTERVENTIONS, TESTING AND COUNSELING FOR HIV/AIDS, HEPATITIS, AND OTHER INFECTIOUS DISEASES FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH SUD. NUMBER OF PEOPLE SERVED BY THE PROJECT: IT IS EXPECTED THAT 150 INDIVIDUALS WILL BE SERVED ANNUALLY, AND A TOTAL OF 450 PEOPLE WILL RECEIVE SERVICES THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRETY OF THE PROJECT.