Supporting the Nation's Judicial System & the Public it Serves

NEWS

Rural Responses to the Opioid Epidemic

The Rural Responses to the Opioid Epidemic grant solicitation was designed to leverage the combined resources and expertise of the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the State Justice Institute (SJI), along with other federal partners, to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with opioid overdoses among individuals who come in contact with law enforcement or are involved in the criminal justice system in high-risk rural communities and regions.

Twenty-one rural American communities substantially impacted by the opioid epidemic will receive $14.8 million in grants, up to $750,000 per community, to develop tailored and innovative responses to gaps in prevention, treatment and/or recovery services for individuals involved in the criminal justice system.  Communities awarded 18-month implementation phase grants at the end of 2019 represented sixteen states, including the following sites:

  • Arkansas Rural Health Partnership (AR)
  • County of Rio Arriba (NM)
  • Ellenville Regional Hospital (NY)
  • Franklin County Sheriff’s Department (MA)
  • Grays Harbor Public Health & Social Services (WA)
  • Marcum and Wallace Hospital (KY)
  • Marshall University Research Corporation (WV)
  • Memorial Regional Health (CO)
  • Mohave Substance Treatment Education & Prevention Partnership (AZ)
  • Northern Kentucky University (KY)
  • Northumberland County (PA)
  • Porter-Starke Services Inc. (IN)
  • Portsmouth City Health Department (OH)
  • Prisma Health–Upstate (SC)
  • Project Lazarus (NC)
  • Reno County Health Department (KS)
  • SMA Healthcare, Inc. (FL)
  • Mary’s Regional Health Center (MN)
  • Upper Cumberland Human Resources Agency (TN)
  • WestCare Tennessee, Inc. (TN)
  • Whitley County Health Department (KY)

SJI funding ensures that state courts are a key component in these collaborative efforts to address the opioid epidemic in rural areas.  More information is available on the project website.  Site profiles are being be added to the website, along with new resources as the project moves forward.