Hope Network

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE, COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING, AND MISCELLANEOUS GRANTS

HOPE NETWORK ZERO SUICIDE INITIATIVE - THE OVERARCHING GOAL OF THE HOPE NETWORK ZERO SUICIDE INITIATIVE IS TO IMPLEMENT THE ZERO SUICIDE MODEL THROUGHOUT THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM IN THE STATE OF MICHIGAN TO RAISE AWARENESS AND IMPROVE CARE AND OUTCOMES FOR INDIVIDUALS AGE 25 AND OLDER WHO ARE AT RISK FOR SUICIDE. HOPE NETWORK WILL IMPLEMENT THIS INITIATIVE THROUGHOUT THE STATE. HOPE NETWORK WILL SERVE APPROXIMATELY 30,000 INDIVIDUALS AGE 25 AND OLDER ANNUALLY WITH ZERO SUICIDE. THE FOCUS POPULATION IS INDIVIDUALS AGE 25 AND OLDER WHO ARE AT RISK OF SUICIDE, HOWEVER PARTICULAR ATTENTION WILL BE PAID TO THE FOLLOWING VULNERABLE SUBGROUPS: VETERANS, HOMELESS, UNEMPLOYED, REENTRY CITIZENS COMING OUT OF PRISON, AND INDIVIDUALS WITH TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY. RESEARCH SHOWS THAT THESE SUBGROUPS HAVE HIGHER RATES OF SUICIDE THAN THE GENERAL POPULATION. ZERO SUICIDE WILL ENHANCE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES, FOCUSING ON SUICIDE REDUCTION, THROUGH PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT; INCREASE CONSISTENT, UNIFORM SCREENING AND REFERRAL; AND IMPROVE HEALTH SYSTEMS ACROSS THE STATE THROUGH IMPLEMENTATION OF EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES. THE PROJECT WILL ACHIEVE THE FOLLOWING OBJECTIVES: 1) TO TRAIN 5,596 PROFESSIONALS IN THE MENTAL HEALTH CARE, PRIMARY CARE, EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT, AND RELATED WORKFORCE IN THE ZERO SUICIDE MODEL AND OTHER MENTAL HEALTH-RELATED PRACTICES/ACTIVITIES BY THE END OF YEAR FIVE. 2) TO SUPPORT 281 PROGRAMS/ORGANIZATIONS IN IMPLEMENTING ZERO SUICIDE PREVENTION PRACTICES AND ACTIVITIES AS PART OF GENERAL OPERATIONS BY THE END OF YEAR FIVE. 3) TO SCREEN AT LEAST 30,000 INDIVIDUALS AGE 25 AND OLDER FOR SUICIDE RISK AND MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS EACH YEAR FOR FIVE YEARS. 4) TO PROVIDE EVIDENCE-BASED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES TO AT LEAST 10,300 INDIVIDUALS AGE 25 AND OLDER AS A MEASURABLE RESULT OF THE ZERO SUICIDE INITIATIVE EACH YEAR FOR FIVE YEARS. 5) TO ENSURE THAT TWO MEMBERS ON THE ZERO SUICIDE IMPLEMENTATION TEAM ARE CONSUMERS. 6) TO REFER AT LEAST 4,000 INDIVIDUALS AGE 25 AND OLDER FALLING UNDER THE IDENTIFIED SUB-POPULATIONS OF VETERANS, INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, UNEMPLOYED, REENTRANTS, AND INDIVIDUALS WITH TBI FOR MENTAL HEALTH OR RELATED SERVICES EACH YEAR FOR FIVE YEARS AS A MEASURABLE RESULT OF ZERO SUICIDE INITIATIVE INTERVENTIONS. 7) TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF SUICIDE DEATHS OF INDIVIDUALS AGE 25 AND OLDER SERVED IN HOPE NETWORK BY 50% OVER BASELINE BY THE END OF YEAR ONE, AND AN ADDITIONAL 75% OVER THE YEAR BEFORE EACH SUBSEQUENT YEAR TO THE END OF YEAR FIVE. 8) TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF SUICIDE ATTEMPTS (UNSUCCESSFUL) BY INDIVIDUALS AGE 25 AND OLDER SERVED IN HOPE NETWORK BY 50% OVER BASELINE BY THE END OF YEAR ONE, AND AN ADDITIONAL 75% OVER THE YEAR BEFORE FOR EACH SUBSEQUENT YEAR TO THE END OF YEAR FIVE. 9) 100% OF INDIVIDUALS IN CLINICAL AND NON-CLINICAL SERVICE LINES WHO SCREEN POSITIVE FOR SUICIDE RISK WILL BE PLACED ON A SUICIDE CARE MANAGEMENT PLAN.

HOPE NETWORK ROAD TO SUCCESS

TURN THE PAGE WILL SERVE 150 MEN OVER THE THREE-YEAR GRANT PERIOD. ELIGIBLE PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS ARE THOSE WHO ARE INCARCERATED AT THE KENT COUNTY CORRECTIONAL FACILITY (KCCF) IN GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, 18 YEARS AND OLDER, AT MODERATE TO HIGH RISK OF RECIDIVISM, AND HAVE A MAXIMUM OF 90 DAYS REMAINING ON THEIR SENTENCE. AN INITIAL PROXY RISK SCREENING WILL BE UTILIZED TO CLASSIFY THOSE HOUSED AT KCCF FOR THREE OR MORE DAYS TO PROVIDE AN INITIAL INDICATION OF THOSE WHO MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR REENTRY SERVICES, WITH A COMPAS SCREENING PROVIDING MORE IN-DEPTH ASSESSMENT AS TO THE APPROPRIATENESS OF SERVICES. TURN THE PAGE AIMS TO REDUCE RECIDIVISM AMONG THE TARGET POPULATION, INCREASE EMPLOYMENT, SECURE CONSISTENT ENGAGEMENT POST-RELEASE, AND PROVIDE CONNECTION TO COMMUNITY RESOURCES AND SERVICES TO ASSIST WITH SUCCESSFUL REINTEGRATION AND TRANSITION STABILIZATION. TURN THE PAGE WILL ACHIEVE PROJECT GOALS BY OFFERING AN INTENTIONAL BUNDLE OF PRE- AND POST-RELEASE SERVICES INCLUDING EMPLOYMENT READINESS, PLACEMENT AND RETENTION SERVICES, PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY AND BEHAVIOR CLASSES, RESOURCE NAVIGATION AND PEER MENTORING BY WAY OF HOPE NETWORK’S PARTNERSHIP WITH ARBOR CIRCLE (AC). PRIOR TO RELEASE, HN AND AC STAFF WILL MEET WEEKLY WITH PARTICIPANTS TO BUILD RAPPORT, WHICH IS KEY TO POST RELEASE ENGAGEMENT. POST-RELEASE, THE TURN THE PAGE TEAM WILL EMPLOY AN ASSERTIVE ENGAGEMENT EFFORT UTILIZING CASE MANAGEMENT, SUPPORTIVE PEER MENTORING AND ACTIVE EMPLOYMENT PLACEMENT SERVICES TO SUPPORT PARTICIPANTS’ REENTRY ACTION PLAN AND SUCCESSFUL REINTEGRATION INTO THE COMMUNITY. STAFF WILL REFER TO AND INTEGRATE KCCF’S ACTUARIAL ASSESSMENT, COMPAS, TO CONDUCT A CASE MANAGEMENT NEEDS ASSESSMENT, WHICH FURTHER INFORMS PARTICIPANTS’ NEEDS, GUIDES THE FRAMEWORK OF A PARTICIPANT’S REENTRY ACTION PLAN, AND PRIORITIZES SERVICES AND INTERVENTIONS. KCCF AND KENT COUNTY OFFICE OF COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS (KCOCC) FULLY SUPPORT HOPE NETWORK AND PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS. HN HAS PROVIDED THE REQUIRED MOU WITH KCCF, AND KCCF HAS AGREED TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO THE COMPAS AND DATA COLLECTION BY THE TOOL AS WELL AS RECIDIVISM DATA TO KCOCC. RESEARCH AND EVALUATION ASSOCIATES WILL PROVIDE INDEPENDENT EVALUATION SERVICES, ASSIST WITH DATA COLLECTION, AND LEAD THE ANALYSIS OF PROJECT OUTCOMES.

HOPE NETWORK WEST MICHIGAN (HNWM) WILL IMPLEMENT A NEW PROGRAM CALLED REUNITING PARENTS AND KIDS (REPAK). REPAK WILL PROVIDE PRE- AND POST-RELEASE SERVICES TO MEN AND WOMEN IN WEST MICHIGAN WITH THE GOAL OF SUPPORTING FAMILY REUNIFICATION AND LONG-TERM FAMILY STABILITY. SERVICES WILL UTILIZE EVIDENCE-BASED APPROACHES SUCH AS MOTIVATIONAL INTERVIEWING AND COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY CLASSES AND WILL INCLUDE HOLISTIC CASE MANAGEMENT, PARENT SUPPORT GROUPS, MENTORING, EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE AND JOB RETENTION SUPPORT, AND FACILITATION OF FAMILY ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES. CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES WILL ALSO HELP PARTICIPANTS GET CONNECTED WITH OTHER COMMUNITY RESOURCES AS NEEDED, INCLUDING HOUSING, TRANSPORTATION, CHILDCARE, AND MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING.

HOPE NETWORK WEST MICHIGAN’S (HNWM) HARNESSING OUR POTENTIAL TO EXCEL (H.O.P.E.) PROGRAM WILL ENROLL AND SERVE A MINIMUM OF 120 YOUTH OFFENDERS UTILIZING A HOLISTIC, INDIVIDUALIZED APPROACH OF INTEGRATING COMPREHENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT, SUPPORTIVE PEER MENTORING AND RESOURCE NAVIGATION, DEVELOPMENT OF REENTRY ACTION PLANS, CUSTOMIZED POST-RELEASE EMPLOYMENT SERVICES INCLUDING AN INDIVIDUAL WRITTEN PLACEMENT PLAN AND REENTRY SUPPORT, AND EDUCATION TO YOUTH INCARCERATED IN KENT COUNTY JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER.

HOPE MENTAL HEALTH EDUCATION PROJECT - HOPE NETWORK BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES (HNBHS), HEADQUARTERED IN GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, WILL IMPLEMENT THE HOPE MENTAL HEALTH EDUCATION PROJECT (MHEP) IN WESTERN MICHIGAN. THE GOAL OF THE PROJECT IS TO TRAIN INDIVIDUALS IN SEVERAL DISTRESSED WESTERN MICHIGAN COMMUNITIES TO RECOGNIZE THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF MENTAL DISORDERS AND HOW TO SAFELY DE-ESCALATE CRISIS SITUATIONS INVOLVING INDIVIDUALS WITH A MENTAL ILLNESS; AND TO PROVIDE EDUCATION ON RESOURCES AND SERVICES AVAILABLE IN THE COMMUNITY FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH A MENTAL ILLNESS AND HOW TO LINK THEM TO SUCH RESOURCES AND SERVICES. ADULTS AND YOUTH ACROSS A VARIETY OF SECTORS OF COMMUNITY LIFE WILL BE TRAINED, INCLUDING SIGNIFICANT ADULTS IN THE LIVES OF CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN ECONOMICALLY DISTRESSED COMMUNITIES IN THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS, THE CITY OF LANSING, AND THE CITY OF KENTWOOD. THROUGH MHEP, HNBHS WILL PROVIDE TRAINING TO: STAFF AT HNBHS ALL SWORN OFFICERS IN THE GRAND RAPIDS POLICE DEPARTMENT (GRPD) STAFF, PARENTS, AND YOUTH AT ALL THREE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS OF GRAND RAPIDS (BGCS) MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY (MSU) CAMPUS COMMUNITY IN EAST LANSING STUDENTS IN THE LANSING SCHOOL DISTRICT (LSD) TEACHERS AND STUDENTS IN THE KENTWOOD PUBLIC SCHOOLS (KPS) THE FOCUS POPULATION IN GRAND RAPIDS THAT WILL BE MOST IMPACTED BY THE MHEP IS THE OVERALL POPULATION OF GRAND RAPIDS THAT IS SERVED BY THE GRPD; CHILDREN AND YOUTH AGE 6-18 SERVED IN THREE BGCS; AS WELL AS OTHERS WHO COME IN CONTACT WITH THE BGC STAFF AND PARENTS WHO PARTICIPATED IN TRAINING. THE FOCUS POPULATION IN THE MSU CAMPUS COMMUNITY THAT WILL BE MOST IMPACTED WILL BE THE STUDENTS. THE FOCUS POPULATION OF LSD AND KPS THAT WILL BE MOST IMPACTED WILL BE CHILDREN ENROLLED IN THESE SCHOOLS. HNBHS WILL ACHIEVE THE FOLLOWING OBJECTIVES WITH THE MHEP: 1) 150 HNBHS STAFF WILL COMPLETE MHFA AND/OR YMHFA TRAINING BY THE END OF YEAR 3; 2) 100% (APPROXIMATELY 300) OF SWORN OFFICERS IN THE GRPD WILL COMPLETE MHFA TRAINING BY THE END OF YEAR 3; 3) 75 STAFF AND PARENTS AT THE BGCS WILL COMPLETE YMHFA TRAINING IN PREVENTION AND MENTAL HEALTH FOR CHILDREN/YOUTH BY THE END OF YEAR 3; 4) 75 TEENS AT BGCS WILL COMPLETE TMHFA TRAINING IN PREVENTION AND MENTAL HEALTH BY THE END OF YEAR 3; 5) 600 INDIVIDUALS IN THE MSU CAMPUS COMMUNITY WILL COMPLETE MHFA TRAINING IN PREVENTION AND MENTAL HEALTH BY THE END OF YEAR 3; 6) 150 STUDENTS IN THE LANSING SCHOOL DISTRICT WILL COMPLETE TMHFA TRAINING IN PREVENTION AND MENTAL HEALTH FOR CHILDREN/YOUTH BY THE END OF YEAR 3; 7) 1,900 STUDENTS IN THE KENTWOOD PUBLIC SCHOOLS WILL COMPLETE TMHFA TRAINING IN PREVENTION AND MENTAL HEALTH AND 200 STAFF WILL COMPLETE YMHFA TRAINING BY THE END OF YEAR 3; 8) INDIVIDUALS REFERRED TO MENTAL HEALTH (OR RELATED) SERVICES IN THE COMMUNITIES THAT PARTICIPATED IN TRAINING AS PART OF THE PROJECT WILL INCREASE OVER BASELINE BY 20% BY THE END OF YEAR 3; 9) 2,588 TRAINING PARTICIPANTS (AT LEAST 75% OF INDIVIDUALS WHO PARTICIPATED IN TRAINING) WILL DEMONSTRATE IMPROVEMENT IN KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES, AND/OR BELIEFS RELATED TO PREVENTION AND MENTAL HEALTH PROMOTION AS A RESULT OF COMPLETION OF THE TRAINING AS MEASURED ON PRE- AND POST-SURVEYS. THE NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS WHO WILL BE TRAINED ANNUALLY IS 1,151 AND THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS WHO WILL BE TRAINED OVER THE THREE YEARS OF THE PROJECT IS 3,450.

THE SEXUAL ASSAULT SERVICES CULTURALLY SPECIFIC PROGRAM (SAS CULTURALLY SPECIFIC PROGRAM) WAS CREATED BY THE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2005 (VAWA 2005), 34 U.S.C. 12511(C), AND IS PART OF THE FIRST FEDERAL FUNDING STREAM SOLELY DEDICATED TO THE PROVISION OF DIRECT INTERVENTION AND RELATED ASSISTANCE FOR VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT. INTERVENTION AND RELATED ASSISTANCE INCLUDE ADVOCACY, ACCOMPANIMENT (E.G., ACCOMPANYING VICTIMS TO COURT, MEDICAL FACILITIES, POLICE DEPARTMENTS, ETC.), CRISIS INTERVENTION AND SUPPORT SERVICES, AND REFERRALS, AMONG OTHER SERVICES. UNDER THIS PROGRAM, SUCH SERVICES MAY BE PROVIDED TO ADULT, YOUTH, AND CHILD VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT, FAMILY AND HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS OF SUCH VICTIMS, AND THOSE COLLATERALLY AFFECTED BY THE VICTIMIZATION. SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT FROM CULTURALLY SPECIFIC COMMUNITIES FREQUENTLY CONFRONT UNIQUE CHALLENGES WHEN SEEKING ASSISTANCE, SUCH AS LINGUISTIC AND CULTURAL BARRIERS. CULTURALLY SPECIFIC COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS ARE MORE LIKELY TO UNDERSTAND THESE CHALLENGES BECAUSE THEY ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE CULTURE, LANGUAGE, AND BACKGROUND OF VICTIMS FROM THEIR COMMUNITIES, WHO IN TURN ARE MORE INCLINED TO SEEK SERVICES FROM SUCH ORGANIZATIONS. THE GOAL OF THE SAS CULTURALLY SPECIFIC PROGRAM IS TO ESTABLISH, MAINTAIN, AND EXPAND CULTURALLY SPECIFIC INTERVENTION AND RELATED ASSISTANCE FOR VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT, WHICH SERVE A VITAL ROLE IN PROVIDING SERVICES THAT ARE RELEVANT FOR THEIR COMMUNITIES. THROUGH THIS NEW SEXUAL ASSAULT SERVICES CULTURALLY SPECIFIC PROGRAM PROJECT, UNITED HOPE NETWORK INC., WILL PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE VICTIM SUPPORT SERVICES, INCLUDING 24-HOUR HOTLINE SERVICES, ACCOMPANIMENT, ADVOCACY, CRISIS INTERVENTION, REFERRALS, AND CULTURALLY SPECIFIC SUPPORT FOR BLACK COMMUNITIES OF THE WAYNE, MACOMB, AND OAKLAND COUNTIES IN MICHIGAN. THE PROJECT WILL ADDRESS THE FOLLOWING PRIORITY AREA: PRIORITY AREA 5, UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES- SEXUAL ASSAULT SERVICES FOR THE LGBTQ POPULATION.

PWI

THE GRANTS TO ENHANCE CULTURALLY SPECIFIC SERVICES FOR VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DATING VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, AND STALKING PROGRAM IS AUTHORIZED BY 34 U.S.C. 20124. THIS PROGRAM SUPPORTS THE MAINTENANCE AND REPLICATION OF EXISTING SUCCESSFUL COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAMS PROVIDING CULTURALLY SPECIFIC SERVICES TO VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DATING VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, AND STALKING, AS WELL AS THE DEVELOPMENT OF INNOVATIVE CULTURALLY SPECIFIC STRATEGIES TO ENHANCE ACCESS TO SERVICES AND RESOURCES FOR VICTIMS WHO FACE OBSTACLES TO USING MORE TRADITIONAL PROGRAMS. CULTURALLY SPECIFIC SERVICES MEANS COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICES THAT INCLUDE CULTURALLY RELEVANT AND LINGUISTICALLY SPECIFIC SERVICES AND RESOURCES TO CULTURALLY SPECIFIC COMMUNITIES WHICH ARE STATUTORILY DEFINED AS AMERICAN INDIANS (INCLUDING ALASKA NATIVES, ESKIMOS, AND ALEUTS); ASIAN AMERICANS; NATIVE HAWAIIANS AND OTHER PACIFIC ISLANDERS; BLACKS; AND HISPANICS. PROJECTS MUST ADDRESS AT LEAST ONE OF THE PROGRAMS STATUTORY PURPOSE AREAS. THROUGH THIS NEW CULTURALLY SPECIFIC SERVICES PROGRAM PROJECT, UNITED HOPE NETWORK, INCORPORATED, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH TURNING POINT, WILL IMPLEMENT A PROJECT ADDRESSING THE FOLLOWING PURPOSE AREAS: INCREASING COMMUNITIES CAPACITY TO PROVIDE CULTURALLY SPECIFIC RESOURCES AND SUPPORT FOR VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DATING VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, AND STALKING CRIMES AND THEIR FAMILIES; ENHANCING TRADITIONAL SERVICES TO VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DATING VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, AND STALKING THROUGH THE LEADERSHIP OF CULTURALLY SPECIFIC PROGRAMS OFFERING SERVICES TO VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DATING VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, AND STALKING; PROVIDING CULTURALLY SPECIFIC RESOURCES AND SERVICES THAT ADDRESS THE SAFETY, ECONOMIC, HOUSING, AND WORKPLACE NEEDS OF VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DATING VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, OR STALKING, INCLUDING EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE; AND EXAMINING THE DYNAMICS OF CULTURE AND ITS IMPACT ON VICTIMIZATION AND HEALING. THE CULTURALLY SENSITIVE SUPPORTIVE SERVICES FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SURVIVORS PROGRAM WILL SERVE BLACKS/AFRICAN AMERICANS IN THE DETROIT, MICHIGAN METROPOLITAN AREAS. SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES WILL INCLUDE: COUNSELING, ADVOCACY, SUPPORT GROUPS, COMMUNITY OUTREACH, PREVENTION, & EDUCATION; AND SUPPLIES TO ASSIST SURVIVORS WITH BASIC NEEDS TO MITIGATE ECONOMIC COSTS DURING A PERIOD OF TRANSITION.

THE STEVE RUMMLER HOPE NETWORK'S MISSION IS TO HEIGHTEN AWARENESS OF THE DISEASE OF ADDICTION AS IT RELATES TO THE PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL BURDENS OF CHRONIC PAIN AND TO IMPROVE THE ASSOCIATED CARE PROCESS. THE PROPOSED VISTA PROJECT ALIGNS WITH THE HEALTHY FUTURES FOCUS AREA. THE GOAL OF THE PROJECT IS TO DEVELOP A RESOURCE DATABASE THAT WILL PROVIDE INFORMATION ON ALL OF THE TREATMENT, PREVENTION AND EDUCATION SERVICES AVAILABLE WITHIN EACH GEOGRAPHIC AREA OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA. THE VISTA PROJECT WILL SEEK TO ENSURE THAT THREE OUTCOMES ARE IN PLACE: 1) COMMUNITY KNOWLEDGE OF CONNECTIONS TO EMERGENCY RESPONSE INCREASES, 2) INTERVENTION AND TREATMENT RESOURCES ARE ACCESSIBLE AND KNOWN, 3) PRIMARY PREVENTION AND PUBLIC HEALTH AWARENESS OF OPIOID ABUSE AND INFORMATION ON TREATMENT OPTIONS ARE EXPANDED. THE BENEFICIARIES OF THIS EFFORT WILL BE THE COMMUNITIES IN THE 87 MINNESOTA COUNTIES AND 11 NATIVE NATIONS THAT WILL BE DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN THIS EFFORT. FOUR (4) VISTA MEMBERS WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE GOALS OF THE PROJECT BY PERFORMING ACTIVITIES SUCH AS MAPPING THE EXISTING ASSETS AND CHALLENGES AS THEY PERTAIN TO OPIOID ABUSE, IDENTIFYING COMMUNITY LEADERS, ORGANIZING A STATEWIDE STEERING COMMITTEE COMPRISED OF NGOS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS WHO WORK TO RELIEVE POVERTY AND COMBAT ADDICTION DISPARITIES IN MINNESOTA, EMPOWERING COMMUNITIES TO BE A VOICE ON THIS ISSUE, MAPPING RATES OF POVERTY, OPIOID ABUSE AND DEATHS, AND SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF WELL-BEING, IDENTIFYING SERVICES AND RESOURCES, AND CREATING A STATEWIDE APPLICATION TO IDENTIFY AND CONNECT EXISTING RESOURCES AND SERVICES TOGETHER OVER THE COURSE OF THREE (3) YEARS.