The Geary County Public Health Department has been notified about the award of an Opioid Overdose Crisis Response Cooperative Agreement from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. This project will augment Central Kansas Foundation efforts in substance abuse treatment by adding emphasis to policy and Geary County agencies and providers.
Health Department representative Dani Holliday stated the grant will total $62,155. ” It is predominantly to assist with the development of policies and protocols that will aid our local health system in responding to opioid overdoses and underlying substance abuse problems. ”
The project will include with community partners including Geary Community Hospital, Central Kansas Foundation, USD 475, Fort Riley and Irwin Army Community Hospital and the Geary Community Healthcare Foundation.
Geary Community Hospital will work on the establishment of policies, programming and training to facilitate the implementation of screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment for those with a suspected substance and / or opioid use disorder, or those at risk of an overdose.
Training for healthcare providers in Geary County will include safe prescribing practices for pain control as well as referral to treatment for any underlying use disorders. Community training with USD 475 and Early Childhood Educators will focus on identification and prevention of adverse childhood experiences and building personal and community resiliency. The Health Department will develop public awareness campaigns together with all the community partners.
This funding will enable the local healthcare system to better understand the opioid epidemic and scale up prevention efforts. The project will expand local capacity to address opioid misuse and misuse and overdose and improve community awareness of the opioid crisis.
The grant funding has not yet been received, but Holiday noted that they have been informed that they should be ready to proceed with the nine-month project beginning January 1st, 2019.