Washington County’s Health Equity Zone has received state funding to address the overdose epidemic. The funds were awarded through the Community Overdose Engagement (CODE) grant from the Rhode Island Department of Health.
Washington County continues to be disproportionally impacted by the opioid and drug overdose epidemic. Last week, the Rhode Island Department of Health announced an overdose spike alert for increased drug overdose activity in Region 10, which includes Exeter, Hopkinton and Richmond. The alerts are issued when a Rhode Island municipality or region has more non-fatal overdoses than usual.
In partnership with Rhode Island Department of Health and other state agencies, the Governor's Overdose Task Force implemented the CODE initiative in 2017 to assist municipalities in developing overdose prevention plans. The CODE grant recently awarded $282,402 to Washington County’s Health Equity Zone. Also known as Healthy Bodies Healthy Minds, the nonprofit will utilize this funding to better support Washington County residents impacted by substance use. The grant will increase the region’s access to prevention, recovery and treatment programs.
Wood River Health serves as the backbone agency to Healthy Bodies Healthy Minds. “Battling an opioid epidemic requires more than one agency; it requires all of us, working together as a community,” stated Wood River Health President and CEO Alison L. Croke. “The CODE grant gives us the power to pool our resources to ensure our neighbors have every tool they need to achieve recovery.”
To facilitate the programs outlined in its application, Wood River Health and Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds partnered with Rhode Island Parent Information Network (RIPIN); South County Prevention Coalition; and Wellbeing Collaborative. This collaboration will ensure a coordinated, community-driven response is taken in response to Washington County’s overdose crisis.
Some of the projects the CODE grant will support include evidence-based interventions such as Action Steps: Medication Safety for older adults and Prevention Plus Wellness for youth. Forums will be offered for those who are poised to identify early warning signs of individuals in crisis such as faith leaders and people in the service industry.
One program that will benefit from this funding is Wellbeing Collaborative’s Strong Arms Support Group. “The group brings people together who have family and friends currently dealing with addiction and people who have lost someone because of addiction,” stated Hopkinton resident Karen Johnson. “I hope that talking about my son Michael will help others know that they are not alone.”
Additionally, the grant will increase peer recovery support programs. Peer recovery specialists are individuals who have firsthand experience living with behavioral health challenges. They offer compassionate, non-judgmental support to those experiencing mental health or substance use disorders. Peers meet with people in their homes or in the community; create person-centered recovery plans; and help them navigate the recovery process. They connect individuals struggling with their substance use to outpatient treatment, detoxification programs and residential treatment services.
This collaborative effort resulting from the CODE grant award will ensure the residents of Washington County have increased access to an integrated system of prevention, treatment and recovery support.
