SDAHO has embarked on a journey with a State-funded grant project titled Community Opioid Abuse Response Effort (COARE). The aim of COARE is to identify applicable resources in relation to opioid prevention/treatment/recovery in communities and to facilitate increased collaboration within the community. It takes the hard work that healthcare entities have been doing outside their walls and into the community.
The COARE project held its first stakeholder meeting in the community of Watertown on June 18. Twenty-two attendees gathered at Prairie Lakes Specialty Clinic to discuss resources available in their community and potential gaps in services. A wide variety of entities were represented to include but not limited to: medical services, mental health and addiction services, law enforcement, emergency services, community organizations, schools and prevention services, and families affected by opioid addiction. A healthy dialogue ensued with great participation. Further exploration will be occurring within the community of Watertown on the possibility and feasibility of a community coalition with the goal of improving efforts to prevent and treat opioid addiction.
Anyone interested in holding a similar community stakeholder meeting should email SDAHO staff Cindy Schuch, Improvement Advisor, or Kristen Bunt, Director of Quality Integration.
