The Health and Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, recently awarded a $1 million grant to Mental Health and Recovery (MHR) for Licking and Knox Counties.
The Rural Communities Opioid Response Program-Implementation grant will fund a project targeting high-risk individuals with substance use and opioid use disorders, an MHR press release received by the Mount Vernon News said. The grant will also assist with outreach to the community at large to improve the public’s understanding of substance use disorders.
Intervention for those who suffer with substance abuse will take the form of increased screening and early identification of substance use disorders, expanded mediation-assisted treatment, and increased availability and distribution of overdose-reversing medications, the release said. The program will also assist with increased infectious disease screenings, implementation of peer support for those with substance abuse problems, and an increase in the number of providers who can prescribe mediation-assisted treatment.
“We are very excited about the possibilities for our community,” Kay Spergel, MHR executive director, was quoted in the release. “This project has possibilities of providing hope and healing to so many while promoting health and wellness.”
The HRSA grant will provide $1 million in federal funding over the course of three years, the release said. By “improving access to evidence-based, integrated, and sustainable prevention, treatment, and recovery support services,” the program is intended to reduce both loss of life and illness linked to both general substance use disorders and specifically opioid use disorders.
“This award is the result of an exemplary collaboration and team work in Knox County during these unprecedented times,” Afet Kilinc, executive director of the Freedom Center, was quoted in the release. “We are excited to work closely with our partners to implement the much-needed programs and services in our community.”
