The Lenawee Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition (LSAPC) was formed in 2004 to support efforts to prevent substance abuse across rural Lenawee County. The coalition utilizes data collection and analysis and information dissemination to support community engagement, resource mobilization and availability of evidence-based programming. To support the coalition’s capacities to reduce the morbidity and mortality association with Substance Use and Opioid Use Disorders (SUD/OUD), the HRSA RCORP Planning, and Implementation funding was secured, resulting in the formation of multi-sector work groups supporting action items promoting prevention, treatment and recovery.
With support from HRSA funding and contracted support from a consultant Strategic Innovations Group LLC., the LSAPC expanded its operational capacities nearly 400% through the formation of five project-based work groups. These workgroups include:
- Access and Utilization of Treatment Workgroup
- Crisis Intervention and Stabilization Workgroup
- Data and Policy Workgroup
- Prevention and Education Workgroup
- Recovery Supports Workgroup
- Working with Prescribers Workgroup
Each workgroup developed a strategic roadmap of their project goals, action items and metrics through consensus and data driven processes. Among these workgroups, the Crisis Intervention & Stabilization workgroup participation was significantly impacted by the coronavirus public health emergency. Participation from healthcare, law enforcement, first responders, and other emergency services was challenging because of their impactful and round the clock supports toward the community’s needs related to the public health emergency. As time went on, the Crisis Intervention and Stabilization workgroup continued to meet and communicate with all partners involved to inquire what resources would help while in the community, what areas of opportunity does our community have in improving crisis stabilization & intervention and how do we innovate our strategies in response to the rapid changes brought about by the pandemic.
After the peak of the pandemic, participation in the workgroup began to surge. Multi-sector partners recognized the value collaborations can provide in the development of unified resources and processes to support crisis response and linkages to prevention, treatment and recovery resources. Because of the contributions of stakeholders and collaborations with other workgroups, the LSAPC was able to resume it’s MAT in the Jail initiative in its full capacity, it formed its very first Families Against Narcotics chapter for Lenawee County, it formed additional linkages with certified peer recovery coaches to support individuals and families experiencing crisis and began the development of a resource navigation tool for first responders, EMS, law enforcement and other partners to distribute when they encounter a family or individual in need of services out in the community.
The technical support of HRSA, JBS and Strategic Innovations Group LLC. supported the LSAPC in navigating through the challenges and barriers so that the coalition continued to position itself for collaborations and success as resources and capacities allowed.