Oklahoma State University
Project Summary
The overarching goal of the NCWR Psychostimulant Support Project is to strengthen and expand prevention, treatment, and recovery (PTR) services for rural individuals who misuse methamphetamines in order to increase their ability to access treatment and move towards recovery. The target populations include individuals who are at risk for, have been diagnosed with, and/or are in treatment and/or recovery for psychostimulant use disorder; their families and/or caregivers; and other community members who reside in three rural counties: Mayes, McIntosh, and Muskogee. The needs of the targeted populations were identified by researching the health disparities and SUD/psychostimulant-related issues facing each community. The NCWR leadership and staff work with SUD/OUD coalitions, task forces, and providers across the state to identify and isolate SUD/OUD "hot spots” and begin to build community around solving the issues facing thousands of rural Oklahomans each day. The NCWR will work with existing community-based SUD prevention coalitions in these hardest hit areas by strengthening and expanding PTR services for rural individuals who misuse psychostimulants. According to the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH), Mayes County had the 6th highest death rate in the state for unintentional poisonings from drug overdose; McIntosh County had the 5th highest death rate in the state; and Muskogee County held the highest death rate in the state (OSDH, 2020).