$1 million grant to fight opioid addiction in southwest Alabama

When Rosie London became executive director of her agency two years ago, she decided to go aggressively after funding.

Those efforts panned out when the agency recently learned it was awarded a grant of almost $1 million from the Health Resources and Services Administration.

“This is a big deal for us,” said London, who heads the West Central Alabama Area Health Education Center (WCAAHEC).

The grant officially begins Sept. 1.

With offices in Whitfield Regional Hospital, the center will use the grant to determine the best ways to combat prescription opioid abuse six counties: Choctaw, Clarke, Escambia, Marengo, Monroe and Sumter.

The WCAAHEC is a partner with other agencies that will implement the grant. They include the Southern Alabama AHEC, WRH and the Health and Wellness Education Center at WRH. Together they make up the Southwest Alabama Healthcare Consortium.

Two additional partners, West Alabama Mental Health and Rural Medical Health Program (RMHP), will also work with the organization to provide prevention and education to the community.

Choctaw, Marengo and Sumter counties are within the organization’s service area. The other three counties fall within South Alabama AHEC’s service area.

A lot of different attempts have been made to stem the tide of the misuse of opioids. This grant, said London, will use research and positive outcomes to expand education for healthcare providers and the community, especially as it offers alternative treatments.

Liza Nicholson, the Program Manager is one of the key staff members that will help lead the project. Nicholson will work with the different partners to ensure delivery of the objectives for all six counties.

The grant extends for three years. Over that time the goal is to survey 1,000 healthcare and community leaders. From those responses, the consortium will tailor educational outreach and materials to meet the needs of the population.

During the length of the grant, the consortium plans to create toolkits for healthcare providers who focus on opioid addiction, hold training sessions, start programs to increase the number of patients receiving services in facilities as well as community support and conduct training sessions for community members, London said.

Opioid abuse continues to be a problem in the United States, especially in rural areas where services are not readily available. All six counties in the focus area are considered Medically Underserved.

The overall life expectancy in Alabama dropped between 2006 and 2014 because of the 82 percent rise in the number of drug overdose deaths.

In Alabama 79 percent of the counties have opioid prescription rates higher than the national average. Clarke County has the highest prescription rate in the target service area: 154.5 per 100 people annually, almost three times the national rate.

London extended thanks to all the partners that will take part in the program to make it a success.  She gave a special thanks also to those who worked to ensure the award of the grant, including Katie Summerville, former employee of the organization; Decarlos Wright, UAB Program Manage, and Dr. Martha Crowther and Liles Hites, both of University of Alabama.