Bluewater Healthcare Network

RURAL COMMUNITIES OPIOID RESPONSE PROGRAM-IMPACT - BLUEWATER HEALTHCARE NETWORK (DBA ASPIRE RURAL HEALTH SYSTEM) PROPOSES ASPIRE TO RECOVER, A COMPREHENSIVE INITIATIVE TO EXPAND ACCESS TO EVIDENCE-BASED PREVENTION, TREATMENT, RECOVERY, AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER (SUD) AND ALCOHOL USE DISORDER (AUD), WITH A PARTICULAR FOCUS ON OPIOID USE DISORDER (OUD), ACROSS THE RURAL COUNTIES OF HURON AND TUSCOLA, MICHIGAN. DESPITE RECENT PROGRESS IN ADDRESSING THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC, RESIDENTS OF THE THUMB REGION CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE SIGNIFICANT BARRIERS TO CARE, INCLUDING PROVIDER SHORTAGES, LIMITED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH RESOURCES, AND FRAGMENTED COORDINATION AMONG HEALTHCARE, CRIMINAL JUSTICE, AND COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS. THESE BARRIERS CONTRIBUTE TO DELAYED TREATMENT, REDUCED TREATMENT RETENTION, INCREASED OVERDOSE RISK, AND POORER HEALTH OUTCOMES FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES AFFECTED BY SUD. THROUGH THE RURAL COMMUNITIES OPIOID RESPONSE PROGRAM (RCORP)-IMPACT AWARD, ASPIRE WILL BUILD UPON ITS EXISTING MEDICATION-ASSISTED TREATMENT (MAT) PROGRAM BY EXPANDING SERVICES TO TWO ADDITIONAL RURAL CLINIC LOCATIONS, INCREASING ACCESS TO MEDICATION FOR OPIOID USE DISORDER (MOUD), STRENGTHENING BEHAVIORAL HEALTH INTEGRATION, EXPANDING JAIL-BASED MOUD AND RECOVERY SUPPORT SERVICES, IMPLEMENTING ROUTINE SUBSTANCE USE SCREENING AND REFERRAL, AND INCREASING PEER RECOVERY CAPACITY THROUGH THE ADDITION OF A FULL-TIME PRC. THE PROJECT WILL ALSO STRENGTHEN CARE COORDINATION BY LEVERAGING A MULTI-SECTOR NETWORK OF HEALTHCARE, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, CRIMINAL JUSTICE, AND SOCIAL SERVICE PARTNERS TO ADDRESS SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH, IMPROVE CARE TRANSITIONS, AND CONNECT INDIVIDUALS WITH HOUSING, TRANSPORTATION, EMPLOYMENT, INSURANCE NAVIGATION, AND OTHER RECOVERY SUPPORT SERVICES. ASPIRE TO RECOVER DIRECTLY SUPPORTS THE GOALS OF THE RCORP-IMPACT PROGRAM BY INCREASING ACCESS TO INTEGRATED, COORDINATED, AND SUSTAINABLE SUD SERVICES IN RURAL COMMUNITIES WHILE STRENGTHENING THE RURAL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH WORKFORCE AND EXPANDING REGIONAL COLLABORATION. GUIDED BY EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES AND A COMMITMENT TO LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY, ASPIRE AND ITS NETWORK PARTNERS WILL DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE CONTINUUM OF CARE THAT IMPROVES PREVENTION, EXPANDS TIMELY ACCESS TO TREATMENT, ENHANCES RECOVERY SUPPORT, AND REDUCES THE DEVASTATING IMPACT OF OPIOID AND OTHER SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS THROUGHOUT THE THUMB REGION.