Lancaster County receives $519K Center for Substance Abuse Treatment Projects of Regional and National Significance grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

Recover and reconnect: a comprehensive fr-cara initiative - project title, area served, population served. Recover and reconnect: a comprehensive fr-cara initiative will serve both first responders (fr) and community members within Lancaster County, pa. Lancaster County, home to 563,159 people, encompasses urban, suburban, and rural communities with persistent challenges related to access, coordination, and continuity of behavioral health care. The primary population of focus includes emergency medical services (ems) personnel, firefighters, law enforcement officers, emergency dispatchers, and other public safety professionals who are at increased risk of occupational stress, trauma exposure, burnout, and substance use disorders (sud) due to the nature of their work. The project will serve the following number of people through training and opioid overdose reversal medication (oorm) kit distribution: year 1-1,200; year 2-1,800; year 3-1,800; year 4-1,500; overall 6,300. Strategies, goals, measurable objectives. The project will address documented needs by providing training to strengthen fr capacity to provide evidence-based overdose response, expanding coordination among public safety and behavioral health partners, increasing access to naloxone and overdose prevention resources, improving referral pathways to treatment and recovery support services, and enhancing collaboration across agencies. Goal 1: by 9.30.2029, lgh will train 2,100 unduplicated lanc. County fr and community stakeholders to recognize opioid overdoses and safely administer fda-approved oorm. Measurable obj.: (1) lgh will train 400 unduplicated individuals from the stakeholder groups by the end of yr 1. (2) lgh will train 600 unduplicated individuals from the stakeholder groups by the end of yr 2. (3) lgh will train 600 unduplicated individuals from the stakeholder groups by the end of yr 3. (4) lgh will train 500 unduplicated individuals from the stakeholder groups by the end of yr 4. (5) by 9.29.2029, 95% of individuals trained to recognize opioid overdoses and safely administer oorm will attain a passing score of at least 85% on post-training practical assignments. (6) by 9.29.2029, 95% of individuals trained to recognize opioid overdoses and safely administer oorm will self-report 90% or higher confidence level on post-training surveys. Goal 2. By 3.30.27, establish a sustainable monthly peer supervision group for up to 10 certified recovery specialists (crs) practicing in lanc. County, pa, to provide clinical support, ethical guidance, and prevent burnout. Measurable obj.: (1) by 12.30.26 have an established supervision location and identify three local community partners to provide supervision for their staff. (2) by 3.30.27 achieve an average attendance rate of at least 80% over the first six months. (3) annually increase the crs supervision unique individuals by 2. Goal 3. By 9.30.2029, lgh will establish formal sustainable post-overdose warm-handoff referral and support pathways with a minimum of 3 lanc. County community-based sud treatment and/ or recovery support agencies for individuals who survive a reversed overdose. Measurable obj.: (1) by 3.20.2027, lgh will identify and map a minimum of 5 lanc. County organizations specializing in clinical sud treatment and/ or recovery support to facilitate appropriate warm handoffs among trained project partners for individuals requiring additional services. (2) by 9.30.2027, lgh will establish standard operating procedures for warm handoffs for individuals seeking moud treatment or post overdose needs. Parter organizations that specialize in sud treatment and peer support will be responsible for making warm handoffs to service providers. (3) by the end of year 4, the project will distribute overdose reversal medication kits to 4,200 people.