September 28, 2018 – The Nevada County Behavioral Health and Public Health Departments are working together on a prevention and treatment program to reduce the impact of the opioid crisis in Nevada County. This joint effort was recently recognized with the award of a Rural Health Opioid grant from the Federal Health Resources and Services Administration.
According to the California Department of Public Health Opioid Overdose Surveillance Dashboard, both opioid overdose Emergency Department visit rates and hospitalization rates related to opioid overdoses in Nevada County are more than twice the state average. This additional funding will be used towards a three-year program, which will collaborate with the Nevada County Public Health Department and other community providers to reduce the morbidity and mortality related to opioid use through:
- Identification of individuals with the highest risk of opioid-related overdose
- Enhanced recovery services and case management
- Prevention and education with an emphasis on Nevada County’s perinatal population
- Transportation and shelter assistance for program participants