Our Partners

The Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) was started by HRSA as a multi-year initiative to address barriers to substance use prevention, treatment, and recovery in rural counties. In 2018-2019, MTORC completed a one-year RCORP-Planning project, and produced a Needs Assessment for Madison and Taylor Counties. This Needs Assessment helped answer two very important questions: 

1. Why do people in our communities use/abuse substances?
2. What resources are / are not available or accessible?

In 2019, MTORC was awarded $1M by HRSA for a three-year RCORP-Implementation project. A project work plan was designed to focus efforts of the Project Team on those activities which the Coalition determined could produce the greatest benefit(s) to our community within the three-year project window.

Our Project Team consists of a Prevention Coordinator, Recovery Coordinator, Treatment Coordinator, and a Project Director. Each of the coordinators is committed to work plan activities related to their particular area of focus.

Prevention:

• Overdose recognition and reversal
• Distribution of naloxone ( NARCAN®) 
• Promote community awareness of substance use disorders and prevention strategies
• Provide training to other providers and professionals 
• Enroll prescribers in Prescription Drug Monitoring Program(s)
• Expand access to behavioral health screenings and referrals to treatment
• Provide evidence-based prevention and life skills in the schools

Recovery:

• Enable individuals, families, and caregivers to find and access affordable treatment and recovery support services (such as transportation, housing, child care, legal aid, employment assistance, and case management)
• Develop a recovery community organization (RCO) and increase the number of peer support specialists
• Enhance discharge and re-entry coordination for people leaving inpatient treatment or the criminal justice system who require linkages to home and community-based services and social supports

Treatment:

• Increase the number of providers who are waivered to provide Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT)
• Identify and implement methods to recruit and retain rural behavioral health workers
• Integrate treatment with other services to increase access to resources and reduce the stigma related to substance use disorders
• Identify methods to ensure sustainability of all Coalition project efforts after the HRSA project period has ended
• Strengthen collaboration with law enforcement and first responders to divert people into treatment when appropriate, and ensure their ability to provide emergency treatment to those with substance use disorders or at risk of overdose
• Implement telehealth services for behavioral health care and Medication Assisted Treatment