Moses-Weitzman Health System, Inc.

The "Building a Community of Rural Peer Supporters in Ohio" project addressrd the needs of rural Ohio residents experiencing substance use disorders. In partnership with the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS), this project will leverage the evidence-based Project ECHO model to provide a virtual learning community for Certified Peer Recovery Supporters (CPRS) where CPRS can connect with a multidisciplinary core faculty of experts and peers for continuing education presentations and case-based support. Although the state of Ohio has dedicated a large amount of resources toward helping more Ohio residents overcome the disease of addiction and maintain their recovery, little focus has been on enhancing the training of CPRSs' serving rural Ohio residents with SUD. Rural areas in Ohio have a higher incidence of residents with SUD with less access to opioid treatment providers and CPRSs. Because there are fewer CPRSs in rural areas in Ohio, they are often isolated from other CPRSs. It is crucial that CPRSs in rural Ohio feel connected to one another and not "alone" in their challenging work. Together, WI and OhioMHAS will design and implement a 16-session Peer Recovery Support ECHO to provide continuing education and a learning community for 60 CPRSs in counties designated rural and make the recordings available to all CPRSs in those counties. A core team of Peer Recovery Support ECHO faculty members will be recruited and will include a behavioral health clinician, an expert in services and local resources addressing SDOH, a CPRS training lead, and at least two experienced CPRSs to ensure the peer voice is represented and centered in all sessions. A learning community will exist through the ECHO to provide continuing education, mentorship, and connection across the CPRSs.