The Southeast Rural Opioid Technical Assistance Regional Center (ROTA-RC) marked a significant milestone by successfully completing the first year of a two-year grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in September 2023.

Throughout the year, through webinars, self-paced courses, and in-person training, ROTA-RC delivered training to 2,984 individuals across 168 rural counties spanning Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee, North Carolina, and South Carolina. The focus was on addressing opioid and stimulant use and expanding awareness of harm reduction, prevention, and options for treatment and recovery. Notably, 2,469 continuing education units were awarded to eligible participants.

The collaboration between researchers, subject matter experts, consortium members, and partnerships with community organizations played a pivotal role in developing and disseminating valuable resources.

Savannah Collier, Assistant Director of ROTA-RC, emphasized the collective effort required to combat the opioid epidemic in rural areas. She stated, "Rural areas have been hit particularly hard by the opioid epidemic, and it takes a village of dedicated individuals, communities, and organizations working collaboratively to overcome this crisis."

In the first year, ROTA-RC developed and implemented four courses: Learn How to Respond to an Overdose, Reducing the Stigma of Addiction, Trauma-Informed Harm Reduction Certification, and Rebound & Recovery: Opioid Prevention and Wellbeing for Teens Certification. In addition, two more courses were initiated during the reporting period and are now fully complete and accessible: Resilience Rally: A Roadmap to Disaster Preparedness for Kids and a Substance Use Disorder Curriculum.

In addition, a total of 15 webinars were provided covering diverse topics, including Introduction to the U.S. Opioid Crisis and Treatment Options, Opioid Harm Reduction Strategies, Opioid Toolkit, Medications for Opioid Use Disorder, Stigma, and Substance Use in the LGBTQIA+ Population, Overdose Awareness, and Cultivating Personal Wellbeing.

The ROTA-RC encourages incorporating relevant information from webinars and PDF resources on its website into educational settings. Faculty and staff at Florida State University and beyond are urged to utilize the self-paced courses to offer extra credit or additional assignments to students, who can receive a certificate of completion to submit to professors.

Recognizing the lack of knowledge among college students without a focus on substance misuse, ROTA-RC highlights the importance of understanding opioids, overdose, and harm reduction resources, such as Narcan. Contrary to common assumptions, this information is relevant to all, as the majority of people know of someone in their life affected by a substance use disorder.

To facilitate access to resources, ROTA-RC provides a locator map highlighting entities where Narcan and harm reduction supplies are available, often at no or low cost. Students, as well as community members, are encouraged to familiarize themselves with these resources and carry Narcan at all times.

All developed webinars, trainings, and resources are easily accessible on the ROTA-RC website, serving as a central hub for information, streamlining the process of providing training and technical assistance to those in need.

Throughout the project's second year, the ROTA-RC team is eager to continue collaborative efforts to enhance awareness and address the complexity of the opioid epidemic in rural communities.

ROTA-RC invites you to check out the upcoming 2024 virtual symposium, Catalyzing Change: Strengthening Community Capacity for Opioid Response, April 11-12, 2024. Eight continuing education units will be provided, and faculty and staff are encouraged to share this event with students and offer extra credit for attending.

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