Summary
WISCONSIN STATE OPIOID RESPONSE 4 - THE OVERDOSE CRISIS HAS CREATED UNPRECEDENTED CHALLENGES FOR INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITIES. THESE CHALLENGES ARE COMPOUNDED FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH OPIOID, STIMULANT, AND/OR CONCURRENT SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS, ESPECIALLY FOR DIVERSE RACIAL/ETHNIC POPULATIONS AND RURAL COMMUNITIES THAT ARE OFTEN UNDERSERVED. THE WISCONSIN STATE OPIOID RESPONSE (SOR) WILL FOCUS ON EXPANDING ACCESS TO EVIDENCE-BASED OPIOID AND STIMULANT USE DISORDER TREATMENT AND RECOVERY SERVICES, ADVANCING OPIOID AND STIMULANT USE PREVENTION AND HARM REDUCTION, AND REDUCING OPIOID AND STIMULANT-RELATED OVERDOSE DEATHS. THE SOR-FUNDED INITIATIVES AND PROGRAMS OUTLINED IN THIS APPLICATION CONTINUE TO BUILD ON THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND PROGRESS MADE WITH PREVIOUS SOR GRANTS AND SEEK TO FURTHER EVOLVE WISCONSIN'S RESPONSE TO THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC. THE WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SERVICES (DHS) COMPLETED A NEEDS ASSESSMENT IN MAY 2024 THAT IDENTIFIED HIGH-NEED GEOGRAPHICAL REGIONS AN