Rural Communities Opioid Response Program: Implementation (RCORP)

The Consortium for Opioid Response in Bedford Somerset (CORBS) leveraged existing community resources to provide a comprehensive and integrated approach to address substance use disorders (SUD) in Bedford and Somerset Counties, PA.

Funded by:

Health Resources and Service Administration (HRSA)

Funding Amount:

$1,000,000

Project Duration:

September 1, 2020 - August 31, 2023

Project Location:

This project occurred in the following Pennsylvania counties: Bedford and Somerset.

Background

The Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) was aimed at reducing the morbidity and mortality of substance use disorder (SUD), including opioid use disorder (OUD), in high-risk rural communities.

Health Care Challenge

Local individuals with SUD face barriers to accessible treatment including personal challenges surrounding social stigma and negative attitudes about treatment; logistical challenges related to financing of and accessibility to treatment centers; and systemic challenges related to limited treatment capacity.

Goals

  1. Decrease the onset of substance use disorders as well as the progression of use from experimental to regular use and dependence through targeted prevention education and outreach to community and high-risk populations;

  2. Expand access to evidence-based practices for SUD treatment; and

  3. Enhance peer recovery and treatment options to help individuals start and stay in recovery.

Implementation Approach and Findings

Via a hybrid model combining components from both the hub-and-spoke and prevention, treatment, recovery frameworks, CORBS identified gaps in care, informed data-driven policy decisions, set benchmarks for quality, and improved outcomes for individuals with SUD.

This patient-centered approach helped better identify challenges encountered by individuals at each stage in the model and effectively connected patients with the appropriate treatment and recovery options. It also served as an opportunity to increase engagement prior to initiation of treatment and encourage retention through improved community-supported processes of recovery.