Breakout Session - Mobilizing Rural Communities to Address Substance Use Disorder
Presenters will showcase the collaboration of the Texas Health Institute and Stephen F. Austin State University School of Social Work on a community project in East Texas: Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) Planning Initiative.
Texas Health Institute and Stephen F. Austin State University School of Social Work collaborated on a community project in East Texas: Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) Planning Initiative. The purpose of the initiative is to strengthen and expand the capacity of rural communities to engage high-risk populations and provide substance use disorder (SUD) and opioid use disorder (OUD) prevention, treatment, and recovery services. Participants have an opportunity to gain empathy and a better understanding of rural substance use problems and learn about community-based research strategies from a recent grant project where COVID heavily impacted community engagement. The presentation will focus on strategies to engage rural communities and diverse stakeholders, including faith communities and culturally diverse populations. We will share outcomes and strategies for creating a community-led, multi-sector consortium to address OUD and SUD in three neighboring rural counties.