Meramec Region Rural Opioid Program
The Meramec Region Rural Opioid Program (MRROP) is a consortium created with funding from the Health Resources and Service Administration and Amerisource Bergen Foundation for three years to collectively reduce the morbidity and mortality rate related to opioid overdoses in our rural community. The Meramec Regional Planning Commission (MRPC) will be the primary facilitator of the consortium, which will include health providers, as well as public and private social service agencies. In addition to MRPC, the consortium will consist of Your Community Health Center (YCHC), the Phelps/Maries County Health Department, Prevention Consultants of Missouri, and Invent Yourself, LLC. All other consortium members will work directly with the target population to address the prevention, care coordination, and ongoing recovery of rural Missourians. Our goal is to impact, conduct an ongoing evaluation, and assess the safety net for individuals with substance use disorders in central Missouri. We’re going to focus on three main areas.
Focus Area #1 – Education and Awareness
The consortium will begin by conducting a Needs Assessment specific to the opioid epidemic. In collaboration with health care workers, law enforcement, educators, emergency responders, and others, we’ll direct community outreach. Also, we’ll include those in recovery as well as family members recently affected by opioid use disorder. Through presentations in each community, we’ll discuss the issues and findings of our Needs Assessment. We’ll offer awareness activities to bring a greater understanding of the problem to the public. With events such as health fairs and awareness walks, educational materials, social media, and support groups, we’ll engage the community. In addition, we will conduct a Naloxone (Narcan) study to ascertain the availability and use of the overdose reversal drug. If possible, we’ll look at methods to expand the use of the drug into the rural region.
Focus Area #2 – Prevention
One of our primary goals is the prevention of opioid use. Our consortium of health care workers, educators, law enforcement, and others will work to coordinate prevention activities, so our message is consistent throughout all aspects of the community. We’ll specifically develop a prevention program for area youth based in part on the Communities That Care (CTC) program offered in tandem with local schools.
Focus Area #3 – Coordination of Services & Recovery Support
We will identify all available resources that can assist those in treatment and recovery. Then, these resource providers will connect to create an overall treatment and recovery path. Although treatment and recovery programs touch different aspects of a person’s life, by working together, they’ll reduce the many barriers faced by individuals with substance use disorders. To coordinate our services, we’ll hold at least one regional meeting to focus on the opioid problem and how each program can positively affect the issue.
In addition, we’ll develop standard operating procedures for connecting individuals with substance use disorders to the resources available to assist them. Connections are based on an individual’s first contact, whether it be law enforcement, emergency workers, family services, etc. By creating relationships and partnerships between the support providers, we’ll be able to connect individuals with substance use disorders to the right help based on their circumstances. Ultimately, this will break down much of the silo effect that exists in the rural region today. By focusing on a collaborative effort with the Rehabilitation Through Innovation program, we will be able to move individuals with substance use disorders from treatment to recovery. Our goal will be helping individuals obtain steady employment and give them the support services they need to continue working.
Opioid Related Resources Available to the Meramec Region
To view specific resource types, utilize the layer list (looks like a paper stack left side of the map) to toggle on and off certain resource types. The legend can be found above the layers list on the left side of the map (looks like a bulleted list). Additionally, click on the icon on the map for each resource to obtain more information about that specific resource. The plus and minus signs in the upper left hand corner will zoom the map in and out in order to see overlapping resources or you can click on a group and scroll through them utilizing the arrows in the upper left hand corner of the pop-up box that shows up when you click on the icon. Resources that share the same address will display in the same pop-up box showing in the upper left hand corner as 1 of … and can be accessed with the arrow in the right hand corner. For print copies of the resource lists, please click the corresponding county buttons below the interactive map.
Consortium Member Program Updates
Meramec Region Rural Opioid Program Consortium Members
Consortium Member Updates for Grant Year 18-19
Consortium Member Updates for Grant Year 19-20
Workshops
2021 Spring Workshop Information Coming Soon
2019 Workshop – A Changing Workforce: Responding to the Opioid Epidemic
Publications
Substance Use Community Needs Assessment for Gasconade, Osage, Pulaski and Washington counties coming soon
Morbidity and Mortality Review coming soon
Project Point of Contact
Samantha Sherman
Sr. Community Development Specialist
ssherman@meramecregion.org
Ph (573) 265-2993 Ext. 141
Fax (573) 265-3550
This project is funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $738,500 with zero percentage financed with non-governmental sources. The views expressed do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.