Georgia Southern University receives funding to launch rural opioid harm reduction program for justice-involved individuals
Georgia Southern University’s Institute for Health Logistics and Analytics (IHLA) has been awarded $2.2 million from the Georgia Opioid Crisis Abatement to launch a two-year initiative aimed at reducing opioid-related harm among justice-involved individuals in rural counties.
The project, Rural Opioid Harm Reduction (ROHR) for Justice-Involved Individuals, supports incarcerated individuals, their families, and law enforcement personnel across rural Georgia. It responds to research showing incarcerated populations experience significantly higher rates of substance abuse compared to the general public. The risk doesn’t end upon release — especially during the first few weeks — when individuals with a history of opioid use face a high risk of overdose and death.
Stigma-reducing education efforts and distribution of naloxone, a life-saving medication used to reverse opioid overdoses, are often effective in reducing harm, but many rural confinement facilities lack the means to implement these methods consistently.
“Rural county jails and first responders have long been doing what they can to respond to the opioid epidemic, but many simply don’t have the resources to implement proven strategies,” said Kathryn Stewart, business and finance coordinator at IHLA and ROHR project lead. “Our project is focused on reducing opioid overdoses during those critical weeks after release. We’re bringing tools and support directly to the people who need them most.”
In implementing the ROHR project, the IHLA will partner with local law enforcement agencies, rural jail staff and community-based recovery organizations to provide solutions and reduce overdoses in rural communities.
“One of the IHLA’s greatest strengths is our deep connections to the counties we are serving,” said Jill Johns, IHLA project manager. “We’ve led large-scale health initiatives before, including a state-wide COVID-19 mitigation effort, and our team is currently working in many rural communities, mapping health assets and engaging stakeholders.”
The IHLA will build on the strengths of local response, using coordination, education and distribution of resources to meet the needs of rural communities. They will also provide training, resource maps and directories, and harm reduction supplies, such as naloxone and fentanyl test strips, to law enforcement, recently released justice-involved individuals and their families.
“The investment from the Georgia Opioid Crisis Abatement Trust represents a new chapter in Georgia’s fight against the opioid crisis,” said Institute Director Jessica Schwind, Ph.D. “Improving health is at the heart of our mission at the IHLA, and our focus on rural communities is evident across all our projects. We are honored to be a part of the solution.”
Learn more about the IHLA’s dedication to improving health through data-drive strategies, innovative program design and strategic partnerships at georgiasouthern.edu/ihla.