Rushford Center Inc

ADDICTION MEDICINE FELLOWSHIP

CONNECTICUT TREATMENT EXPANSION FOR ACCESSIBILITY (C-TEA)

OPIOID-IMPACTED FAMILY SUPPORT PROGRAM

MERIDEN HEALTHY YOUTH COALITION

BRIDGE TO RECOVERY: EXPANDING MOUD ACCESS IN CONNECTICUT - RUSHFORD CENTER, INC. WILL EXPAND ITS MATCH (MEDICATION ASSISTED TREATMENT CLOSE TO HOME) PROGRAM THROUGH THE BRIDGE TO RECOVERY PROJECT, ADDING ACUDETOX, AN EVIDENCE-INFORMED ADJUNCT USING THE NATIONAL ACUPUNCTURE DETOXIFICATION ASSOCIATION'S FIVE-POINT AURICULAR PROTOCOL, TO ITS CONNECTICUT CLINICS AND EXTENDING MEDICATION FOR OPIOID USE DISORDER (MOUD), PSYCHOSOCIAL, AND RECOVERY SUPPORT SERVICES TO A NEW RURAL SITE, THE RIDGE RECOVERY CENTER IN WINDHAM. SERVING ADULTS 18 TO 64 WITH OPIOID USE DISORDER, THE PROJECT ANTICIPATES REACHING A STEADY-STATE TARGET OF 5,475 INDIVIDUALS ANNUALLY BY YEAR 2, FOR AN ESTIMATED 21,900 UNDUPLICATED INDIVIDUALS OVER THE PROJECT PERIOD, WITH THE HEAVIEST OVERDOSE BURDEN AMONG THOSE AGES 35 TO 44 AND A RISING SHARE IN THEIR 50S AND 60S. SERVICES COMBINE FDA-APPROVED MOUD, INCLUDING METHADONE, BUPRENORPHINE, AND NALTREXONE, WITH COUNSELING, CASE MANAGEMENT, RECOVERY SUPPORT, AND VOLUNTARY ACUDETOX FOR TOBACCO CESSATION. GOALS INCLUDE EXPANDING MOUD ACCESS ACROSS THE FULL CLINIC NETWORK, STRENGTHENING ENGAGEMENT THROUGH CERTIFIED CLINICAL STAFFING, REDUCING TOBACCO USE, AND EXTENDING SERVICES TO RURAL EASTERN CONNECTICUT. BY YEAR 1, ALL FOUR CENTRAL CONNECTICUT SITES WILL OFFER ACUDETOX WITH TEN CERTIFIED STAFF; BY YEAR 2, THE RIDGE SITE WILL BE INTEGRATED, TARGETING 70% TREATMENT RETENTION AT SIX AND TWELVE MONTHS.

ADDICTION MEDICINE FELLOWSHIP - FELLOWS TRAINED UNDER RUSHFORD CENTER’S ACCREDITATION COUNCIL FOR GRADUATE MEDICAL EDUCATION (ACGME) CERTIFIED ADDICTION MEDICINE FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM WILL WORK THROUGHOUT THE HARTFORD HEALTHCARE (HHC) SYSTEM ACROSS MULTIPLE SITES IN AREAS OF NEED. THE DEVELOPMENT OF FELLOWSHIP TRAINING SITES AND INCREASING FACULTY WILL HELP THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM IN CONNECTICUT BETTER DEAL WITH THE BURDEN OF ADDICTION. ADDITIONAL FUNDING WILL ALLOW RUSHFORD TO INCREASE STAFF FACULTY AND INCREASE THE NUMBER OF FELLOWS WE ARE ABLE TO ACCEPT INTO THE PROGRAM. RUSHFORD PLANS TO SUPERVISE/TRAIN UP TO THREE FELLOWS PER YEAR BY THE END OF THE FIVE-YEAR GRANT PERIOD AND THEREFORE WILL HELP TRAIN THE FUTURE LEADERS IN THE FIELD OF ADDICTION MEDICINE. RUSHFORD WILL UTILIZE THE ADDICTION MEDICINE FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM TO DEVELOP AN EXPANDED, ROBUST TEAM OF PHYSICIAN FACULTY TO TRAIN AN INCREASED NUMBER OF FELLOWS IN THE PROGRAM. THE AIM IS TO GRADUATE ADDICTION MEDICINE CERTIFIED PHYSICIANS TO ADDRESS THE BURDEN OF OVERDOSE DEATH AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER MORBIDITY IN THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT AND ACROSS THE U.S. AND TO HELP PATIENTS AVOID COSTLY AND TIME CONSUMING SERVICES IN THE HOSPITAL EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS BY WORKING WITH THEM TO MANAGE THEIR SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER IN VARIOUS OUTPATIENT SETTINGS. RUSHFORD’S CLINICAL PRIORITY IS EXPANSION OF THE ADDICTION MEDICINE FELLOWSHIP TO POSITIVELY IMPACT THE MORTALITY AND MORBIDITY OF SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS IN OUR HEALTHCARE SYSTEM AND ACROSS THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT. RUSHFORD’S FELLOWS WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT LOCATIONS WITHIN THE HHC SYSTEM OF CARE. HHC IS CONNECTICUT’S ONLY TRULY INTEGRATED HEALTHCARE SYSTEM. WITH OVER 43,000 EMPLOYEES, THE SYSTEM OFFERS THE FULL CONTINUUM OF CARE WITH SEVEN ACUTE CARE HOSPITALS, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH NETWORK (INCLUDES RUSHFORD), AND REHABILITATION SERVICES, A LARGE MULTISPECIALTY AND PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN GROUP AND CLINICAL INTEGRATION ORGANIZATION, SKILLED-NURSING AND HOME HEALTH SERVICES. AN PRIME EXAMPLE OF THE ADDICTION MEDICINE FELLOWS ROTATIONS INCLUDES TIME AT SITES THAT PROVIDES MEDICAL AND SOCIAL SERVICES TO MEDICALLY COMPLEX PATIENTS LIVING WITH CHRONIC ILLNESSES AND ISSUES SUCH AS INFECTIOUS DISEASE (HIV, HCV), DIABETES, HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, CHRONIC PAIN, PSYCHOLOGICAL CHALLENGES, AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS; ADDICTION MEDICINE FELLOWS ARE ABLE TO SEE PRIMARY CARE PAIRED WITH SPECIALTY CARE, AND LEARN TO EXECUTE A SEAMLESS PROCESS TO COORDINATE CARE FOR COMPLEX PATIENTS IN A HIGH NEED AREA.

DRUG-FREE COMMUNITIES (DFC) SUPPORT PROGRAM ? NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION. - DRUG-FREE COMMUNITIES (DFC) SUPPORT PROGRAM - NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION.

MERIDEN HEALTHY YOUTH COALITION

MIDDLETOWN PREVENTION COUNCIL - SINCE 2021, THE MIDDLETOWN PREVENTION COUNCIL (MPC) SERVING THE CITY OF MIDDLETOWN IN CENTRAL CONNECTICUT HAS BEEN GUIDED BY THE STRATEGIC PREVENTION FRAMEWORK (SPF)—A PROVEN MODEL FOR COMMUNITY-LEVEL CHANGE. WHEN MPC RECEIVED ITS FIRST STATE-FUNDED PREVENTION IN CONNECTICUT COMMUNITIES (PPC) GRANT, WE COMMITTED TO DOING PREVENTION WORK THE RIGHT WAY: GROUNDED IN EVIDENCE, INFORMED BY DATA, AND BUILT ON COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS. OUR PREVENTION WORK OPERATES ACROSS MULTIPLE INTERCONNECTED STRATEGIES: 1) PROVIDING INFORMATION, 2) ENHANCING SKILLS, 3) PROVIDING SUPPORT, 4) ENHANCING ACCESS AND REDUCING BARRIERS, 5) CHANGING CONSEQUENCES, 6) MODIFYING THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT, AND 7) INFLUENCING POLICY. THIS COMPREHENSIVE, MULTI-STRATEGY APPROACH ENSURES WE ADDRESS SUBSTANCE USE PREVENTION FROM EVERY ANGLE—INDIVIDUAL, FAMILY, SCHOOL, AND COMMUNITY—CREATING LASTING CHANGE THAT PROTECTS MIDDLETOWN'S YOUTH. ACCORDING TO THE 2024 STUDENT YOUTH VOICE COUNTS SURVEY, MARIJUANA AND ALCOHOL HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS PRIORITY SUBSTANCES FOR PREVENTION IN MIDDLETOWN. THIS FINDING IS REINFORCED BY CONSUMPTION DATA FROM MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL SURVEYS AND FOCUS GROUPS WITH HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. A TROUBLING GAP EXISTS IN PARENT-CHILD COMMUNICATION. RECENT SURVEY DATA FOUND THAT 25% OF MIDDLETOWN PARENTS HAD NOT DISCUSSED SUBSTANCE USE RISKS WITH THEIR CHILDREN—FAR BELOW NATIONAL BENCHMARKS SHOWING APPROXIMATELY 90% OF PARENTS DISCUSS ALCOHOL AND 68% DISCUSS MARIJUANA WITH THEIR KIDS. RESEARCH PUBLISHED IN THE JOURNAL OF CHILD AND FAMILY STUDIES INDICATES THAT EFFECTIVE PARENT MESSAGING TYPICALLY COVERS THE DANGERS OF USE, THE RISKS OF IMPAIRED DRIVING, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF AVOIDING RIDES WITH USERS. MIDDLETOWN'S SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER RATE OF PARENT-CHILD COMMUNICATION REPRESENTS A CRITICAL VULNERABILITY THAT DEMANDS IMMEDIATE ATTENTION THROUGH TARGETED PREVENTION PROGRAMMING. WITH SUPPORT FROM THE CDC’S DRUG-FREE COMMUNITIES GRANT, THE MPC EXPECTS TO IMPROVE COMMUNITY KNOWLEDGE OF THE LOCAL PATTERNS OF YOUTH MARIJUANA, AND ALCOHOL MISUSE, AND ACTIONS TO PREVENT THEM. FURTHERMORE, WE WILL INCREASE THE PERCEPTION OF RISK AND HARM TOWARDS MARIJUANA, VAPE DEVICES AND ALCOHOL AMONG MIDDLETOWN YOUTH AND INCREASE THE ABILITY, AND OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUTH TO ACCESS PROGRAMS THAT EMPHASIZE SELF- EFFICACY AND LEARNING SKILLS THAT PREVENT SUBSTANCE MISUSE. WE WILL INCREASE ACTIVE COLLABORATION AND CAPACITY BUILDING WITH MIDDLETOWN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THE MPC, AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND THE DECREASE THE AVAILABILITY OF VAPES, MARIJUANA AND ALCOHOL FOR YOUTH IN THE MIDDLETOWN COMMUNITY. THROUGH THIS FUNDING WE WILL BE ABLE TO ESTABLISH AND STRENGTHEN COLLABORATION AMONG COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND ORGANIZATIONS TO ADDRESS YOUTH SUBSTANCE USE, REDUCE SUBSTANCE USE AMONG YOUTH, AND OVER TIME REDUCE SUBSTANCE USE AMONG ADULTS.

MERIDEN HEALTHY YOUTH COALITION: STOP ENHANCEMENT

MERIDEN HEALTHY YOUTH COALITION: STOP ENHANCEMENT

MERIDEN HEALTHY YOUTH COALITION CARA PROJECT - THE MERIDEN HEALTHY YOUTH COALITION (MHYC), A COMMUNITY COALITION OPERATING SINCE 2006 UNDER THE FISCAL AGENCY OF RUSHFORD CENTER REQUESTS CARA FUNDING TO ADDRESS THE OPIOID, METHAMPHETAMINE, AND PRESCRIPTION DRUG CRISIS FACING MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT. MERIDEN IS A WORKING-CLASS CITY OF APPROXIMATELY 60,000 RESIDENTS IN NEW HAVEN COUNTY WHERE OVERDOSE DEATHS DOUBLED IN A SINGLE YEAR, THE OPIOID PRESCRIPTION RATE IS 32% ABOVE THE CONNECTICUT STATE AVERAGE, AND ILLICITLY MANUFACTURED FENTANYL IS NOW PRESENT IN VIRTUALLY EVERY CATEGORY OF STREET DRUG. MHYC'S DECADE OF DRUG-FREE COMMUNITIES WORK HAS KEPT YOUTH USE RATES AMONG THE LOWEST IN THE STATE; PAST 30-DAY PRESCRIPTION DRUG USE STANDS AT 0.5% AS OF 2025 BUT THE PROTECTIVE STRUCTURE THAT HAS PRODUCED THOSE OUTCOMES IS SCHOOL-BASED AND DISSOLVES AT GRADUATION, PRECISELY WHEN YOUTH ENTER A COMMUNITY WHOSE ADULT OVERDOSE BURDEN REMAINS CATASTROPHIC. CARA FUNDING WILL ALLOW MHYC TO UPDATE PREVENTION EDUCATION TO ADDRESS A THREAT ENVIRONMENT TRANSFORMED BY FENTANYL CONTAMINATION, BUILD MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE LITERACY AMONG YOUTH, DEVELOP A FORMAL TRANSITION READINESS FRAMEWORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF MERIDEN HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO PREPARE HIGH SCHOOL UPPERCLASSMEN FOR LIFE BEYOND THE SCHOOL'S PROTECTIVE STRUCTURE, AND ENGAGE FAMILIES IN A TARGETED COMMUNITY NORM-SHIFT CAMPAIGN. THE GRANT IS GROUNDED IN THE PRINCIPLE THAT PROTECTING MERIDEN'S LOW YOUTH USE RATES REQUIRES EXPLICITLY PREPARING YOUNG PEOPLE FOR THE MOMENT WHEN THE COALITION'S REACH NO LONGER SURROUNDS THEM. MHYC WILL IMPLEMENT FOUR INTEGRATED PILLARS ACROSS THE FIVE-YEAR PERFORMANCE PERIOD. PILLAR 1 (UPDATED THREAT EDUCATION) REVISES SCHOOL-BASED PREVENTION CURRICULUM TO ADDRESS FENTANYL CONTAMINATION, THE PRESCRIPTION-TO-ILLICIT PIPELINE, AND POLYSUBSTANCE RISK; DELIVERED THROUGH MHYC'S YOUTH COUNCIL PEER LEADERSHIP INFRASTRUCTURE AT BOTH HIGH SCHOOLS AND BOTH MIDDLE SCHOOLS. PILLAR 2 (MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE LITERACY) DELIVERS STRUCTURED PSYCHOEDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING ON THE COMORBIDITY OF MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE RISK, LED BY PROGRAM OPERATIONS MANAGER MEGAN ALBANESE, A CERTIFIED ME-CBT INTERVENTIONIST AND RISKING CONNECTION FACILITATOR. PILLAR 3 (TRANSITION READINESS INFRASTRUCTURE) CO-DEVELOPS A COMMUNITY RESOURCE NAVIGATION FRAMEWORK WITH THE CITY OF MERIDEN HEALTH DEPARTMENT, MAKES BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND SUPPORT RESOURCES ACCESSIBLE TO JUNIORS AND SENIORS BEFORE THEY NEED THEM, AND PURSUES A POLICY CHANGE EMBEDDING TRANSITION READINESS CONTENT IN EXISTING SENIOR YEAR HEALTH PROGRAMMING THROUGH THE MERIDEN BOARD OF EDUCATION. PILLAR 4 (FAMILY AND COMMUNITY NORM SHIFT) ENGAGES PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS THROUGH A TARGETED FENTANYL AWARENESS CAMPAIGN ADAPTED FROM SAMHSA'S TALK. THEY HEAR YOU. FRAMEWORK, REINFORCING PARENTAL AUTHORITY AS THE PRIMARY PROTECTIVE FACTOR IN YOUTH SUBSTANCE USE DECISIONS. OUTCOMES: SHORT-TERM (YEARS 1–2): IMPROVED MULTISECTOR COORDINATION AROUND YOUTH OPIOID, METHAMPHETAMINE, AND PRESCRIPTION DRUG PREVENTION; INCREASED YOUTH LEADERSHIP IN PREVENTION; GREATER FAMILY AND COMMUNITY AWARENESS OF FENTANYL CONTAMINATION RISK; INITIAL DEPLOYMENT OF THE TRANSITION READINESS FRAMEWORK. INTERMEDIATE (YEARS 3–4): INSTITUTIONALIZED TRANSITION READINESS CONTENT IN BOE SENIOR YEAR PROGRAMMING; SUSTAINED YOUTH INVOLVEMENT IN PREVENTION LEADERSHIP; MEASURABLE IMPROVEMENT IN STUDENTS' SELF-REPORTED HELP-SEEKING CONFIDENCE, COMMUNITY RESOURCE AWARENESS, AND MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE LITERACY AS MEASURED BY MHYC'S SUPPLEMENTAL TRANSITION READINESS SURVEY; STRENGTHENED COMMUNITY NORM ALIGNMENT WITH PREVENTION VALUES. LONG-TERM (YEAR 5): MEASURABLE REDUCTION IN PAST 30-DAY PRESCRIPTION DRUG USE AMONG MERIDEN YOUTH FROM A BASELINE OF 0.5% TOWARD A TARGET OF 0.3%; MEASURABLE INCREASE IN YOUTH PERCEPTION OF RISK FOR PRESCRIPTION DRUG USE; DOCUMENTED CULTURE SHIFT IN THE ACCEPTABILITY OF OPIOID, METHAMPHETAMINE, AND PRESCRIPTION DRUG USE; SUSTAINABLE TRANSITION READINESS.

MERIDEN HEALTHY YOUTH COALITION SOBER TRUTH ON PREVENTING UNDERAGE DRINKING - RUSHFORD CENTER, INC., FISCAL AGENT FOR THE MERIDEN HEALTHY YOUTH COALITION (MHYC), REQUESTS STOP ACT GRANT FUNDING TO BUILD MHYC'S CAPACITY TO PREVENT AND REDUCE UNDERAGE ALCOHOL USE AMONG YOUTH AGES 12 TO 20 IN MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT. MERIDEN YOUTH REPORT DECLINING BUT STILL CONCERNING RATES OF ALCOHOL USE, AND NATIONAL DATA SHOW THAT STAGNANT RISK PERCEPTION COMBINED WITH GROWING EXPOSURE TO DIGITAL ALCOHOL MARKETING THREATENS TO ERODE LOCAL PREVENTION GAINS. THIS PROJECT WILL STRENGTHEN COALITION INFRASTRUCTURE, FORMALIZE YOUTH LEADERSHIP, AND UPDATE PREVENTION MESSAGING TO ADDRESS THESE EMERGING RISKS OVER A 48-MONTH PROJECT PERIOD. MHYC WILL BUILD CAPACITY TO SERVE THE CITY OF MERIDEN, A 24-SQUARE-MILE URBAN COMMUNITY BISECTED BY INTERSTATES 91 AND 691. THE POPULATION OF FOCUS IS YOUTH AGES 12 TO 20, WITH PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO STUDENTS IN GRADES 6 THROUGH 12 ATTENDING MERIDEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS. MERIDEN'S POPULATION IS APPROXIMATELY 60,830 RESIDENTS. THE COMMUNITY CARRIES DUAL FEDERAL DESIGNATIONS AS A HEALTH PROFESSIONAL SHORTAGE AREA FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND A MEDICALLY UNDERSERVED AREA. LOCAL DATA SHOW THAT WHILE LIFETIME AND PAST-MONTH ALCOHOL USE AMONG MERIDEN YOUTH REMAIN LOW, MHYC'S MOST RECENT ALCOHOL-SPECIFIC FUNDING CYCLE ENDED SEVERAL YEARS AGO, AND CURRENT PREVENTION EFFORTS HAVE CONCENTRATED ON OTHER SUBSTANCES, LEAVING A CAPACITY GAP IN DEDICATED ALCOHOL-FOCUSED COORDINATION, STAFF TRAINING, AND YOUTH-LED MESSAGING SUITED TO TODAY'S SOCIAL MEDIA ENVIRONMENT. UNDER THIS GRANT, MHYC WILL IDENTIFY AND IMPLEMENT EVIDENCE-BASED PREVENTION STRATEGIES DRAWN FROM THE STRATEGIC PREVENTION FRAMEWORK AND CADCA'S SEVEN STRATEGIES FOR COMMUNITY LEVEL CHANGE. WITHIN 120 DAYS, THE COALITION WILL FORMALIZE ITS YOUTH ADVISORY GROUP, DEVELOP A LOGIC MODEL AND 12-MONTH ACTION PLAN, AND CONVENE COMMUNITY FORUMS TO GATHER PUBLIC INPUT. PLANNED STRATEGIES INCLUDE ADAPTING SAMHSA'S TALK. THEY HEAR YOU.® CAMPAIGN FOR MERIDEN AUDIENCES, DISTRIBUTING PREVENTION MESSAGING THROUGH SCHOOL, BUSINESS, AND MEDIA SECTOR PARTNERS, CONDUCTING ALCOHOL RETAILER COMPLIANCE CHECKS AND TIPS TRAINING, PROMOTING CONNECTICUT'S SOCIAL HOST LAW, AND DEVELOPING YOUTH-LED DIGITAL CAMPAIGNS TO COUNTER ALGORITHM-DRIVEN ALCOHOL MARKETING. MHYC'S GOALS ARE TO STRENGTHEN COALITION CAPACITY, REDUCE AND PREVENT YOUTH ALCOHOL USE, AND INCREASE COMMUNITY AND PUBLIC CONSEQUENCES FOR UNDERAGE DRINKING. BY SEPTEMBER 2029, MHYC AIMS TO INCREASE COALITION MEMBERSHIP BY 30 PERCENT (FROM 12 TO 16 MEMBERS), INCREASE THE PERCENTAGE OF MERIDEN YOUTH IN GRADES 6 THROUGH 12 WHO BELIEVE UNDERAGE DRINKING IS WRONG, AND INCREASE THE PERCENTAGE OF YOUTH WHO PERCEIVE ALCOHOL AS DIFFICULT TO ACCESS, ALL AS MEASURED BY THE YOUTH VOICES COUNT SURVEY. THESE OBJECTIVES DIRECTLY RESPOND TO THE LOCAL NEED FOR RENEWED, ALCOHOL-SPECIFIC PREVENTION CAPACITY DOCUMENTED IN THE STATEMENT OF NEED.

MERIDEN HEALTHY YOUTH COALITION: ADDRESSING UNDERAGE DRINKING AND MARIJUANA USE