HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A significant grant to help with the opioid epidemic in Reno County is on the agenda for the Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday.
The application is for a grant with the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program.
The RCORP application would be a partnership with community partners who provide preventative and intervention services to individuals in Reno County.
This application would allow for a 3-year funding opportunity with the potential of applying for $1,000,000.
The grant would provide for:
Funding for Rise Up Reno to help with the expansion of prevention efforts to Reno County youth.
Funding for Reno County Jail for services to offenders entering Reno County Jail with Opioid Use Disorder. This program would assist the treatment process and have offenders with OUD be on a program at release in efforts to reduce chances for overdose upon release, recidivism, and into recovery.
Funding for New Beginnings Transitional Jobs Program to expand the jobs program for individuals with substance use disorders. This program would assist individuals through barriers in a setting with others in recovery, help them graduate and enter a permanent job upon completion of the program.
A Health Educator focused on substance misuse would continue to educate and coordinate efforts to fight substance misuse in Reno County and continue to foster and strengthen the multisector partnerships and relationships locally and across the state.
Between October 2020 and September 2021 there were 325 suspected overdoses and 19 fatalities. The cost of overdose for emergency department visits and hospitalization is estimated around $650,000 in the same timeframe.
If this RFP is funded, it would be a solid avenue to make additional progress in Reno County to provide education to all citizens and partner with entities to provide new and improved services for citizens who suffer from the disease of substance misuse.
The Board of County Commissioners meets Tuesday at 9 a.m. at the Reno County Annex.