Schreiber Research Group

The Southern Colorado Rural Communities Opioid Response Project (SCRCORP) implementation consortium aims to address the opioid and substance use epidemic in four rural counties that continue to experience ongoing and substantial substance/opioid use challenges: Bent, Conejos, Crowley, and Otero counties. Conejos, Crowley, and Otero counties will continue efforts performed under Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP), and Planning grant (Fiscal Year 2020) previously led by the Pueblo Department of Public Health and Environment (PDPHE). Bent county has been added to the consortium due to the large number of opioid use disorder (OUD) and substance use disorder (SUD) issues present within the county, as well as the overlapping work within the region. Additionally, two new consortium members located in Bent County, Fort Lyon Supportive Residential Community (FLSRC) and Region Six Alcohol & Drug Abuse, Co. (RESADA), are both integral agencies for services for the homeless population as well as the only residential treatment centers in the region. Collaborating with these agencies is essential to help further efforts to reduce morbidity and mortality within the target rural areas related to substance use. The Project Director and OCHD staff will engage community stakeholders in target rural counties to achieve the proposed project goals. The approach that will be used in each rural county to achieve these goals includes the following: (1) continue relationships established during the RCORP-Planning grant and forge new relationships so collaboration becomes routine; (2) utilize data to develop a data-informed knowledge base about the status of substance use and progress in the project area; (3) work collaboratively with community partners that have historically not had program integration targeting substance use issues; (4) create a new role for a Peer Support/Advocate; (5) establish work groups comprised from a 100+ member consortium of partners and a core consortium of leaders to generate momentum and create community buy-in; (6) convene an advisory committee and steering committee to mobilize expertise, resources, and ideas and streamline decision-making; and (7) leverage TSRG’s experience with research and community outreach to identify sustainable strategies and resources for rural communities.