Prestera Center For Mental Health Services, Inc.

Prestera Center for Mental Health Services, Inc has proposed to add new medication assisted treatment (MAT) access points that serve adults eighteen years and older with opioid use disorder (OUD) and/or alcohol use disorder (AUD) across six rural West Virginia counties: Boone, Mason, Lincoln, Clay, Monroe and Summers counties. These counties are each physically located in HRSA-designated rural areas (as defined by the Rural Health Grants Eligibility Analyzer). These counties were selected because there are either few or no MAT providers currently located in each county. Establishing one new MAT access point in each of six rural counties, increasing MAT capacity and sustaining MAT services in these rural counties are consistent with HRSA mission, goals and purposes. Population demographics and social determinants of health reveal a disadvantaged population base. Appalachians have historically suffered from poorer health outcomes, health disparities and other inequities compared to the rest of the US population. Transportation, childcare and the availability of support groups are barriers to accessing services. Distinct and different cultural group compared to the larger US population. Lower-than average levels of educational attainment and wages, high unemployment rate, high disability rates and high poverty rates typically characterize the Appalachian population and confound overall health and well-being, historically suffered from poorer health outcomes, health disparities and other inequities (compared to the rest of the population) include people living with SUD, living in poverty, people identifying with one or more racial or ethnic minority group, individuals experiencing homelessness, individuals experiencing pregnancy, people with a disability, the elderly and the LGBTQ+ populations. These segments of the target population require deliberate outreach into their communities to ensure everyone has an equal opportunity to participate in services.