Consortium for Opioid Response in Bedford and Somerset (CORBS)

Funded through the HRSA Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP), the Consortium for Opioid Response in Bedford and Somerset (CORBS) leveraged leveraged existing community resources to provide a comprehensive and integrated approach to address substance use disorders (SUD) in Bedford and Somerset Counties, PA.

Funded by:

Health Resources and Service Administration (HRSA)

Funding Amount:

$1,000,000

Project Duration:

September 1, 2020 - August 31, 2023

Project Location:

This project occurred in the following Pennsylvania counties: Bedford and Somerset.

Background

The Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) was aimed at reducing the morbidity and mortality of substance use disorder (SUD), including opioid use disorder (OUD), in high-risk rural communities. The consortium that advised and implemented this work comprised stakeholders from the UPMC Center for High-Value Health Care; Community Care Behavioral Health Organization, Behavioral Health Services of Somerset and Bedford Counties, Inc (BHSSBC); Personal Solutions - Bedford County Single County Authority; Somerset Single County Authority.

Healthcare Challenge

Local individuals with SUD face barriers to accessible treatment including personal challenges surrounding social stigma and negative attitudes about treatment; logistical challenges related to financing of and accessibility to treatment centers; and systemic challenges related to limited treatment capacity.

Goals

  1. Decrease the onset of substance use disorders as well as the progression of use from experimental to regular use and dependence through targeted prevention education and outreach to community and high-risk populations;

  2. Expand access to evidence-based practices for SUD treatment; and

  3. Enhance peer recovery and treatment options to help individuals start and stay in recovery.

Implementation Approach and Findings

Via a hybrid model combining components from both the hub-and-spoke and prevention, treatment, recovery frameworks, CORBS identified gaps in care, informed data-driven policy decisions, set benchmarks for quality, and improved outcomes for individuals with SUD. The project saw enhanced access and outcomes for 7,474 individuals with substance use disorders (SUD).

  • Recovery support service referrals increased 39% (from 53% to 87%).
  • Persons receiving Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) and Psychosocial Therapy increased 314%. With 78% increase in the number of people who had received MOUD uninterrupted for 3 months or more.
  • Nearly 1,000 individuals attended over 20 recovery events in Somerset county
  • The number of community sites offering at least one harm reduction service increased by 225%.
  • Naloxone distribution across both counties increased by 77%.