TUCSON, Ariz. – Today, Representative Raúl M. Grijalva (AZ-07) announced that the Chiricahua Community Health Center would receive a $3 million federal award over a three-year period through the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Rural Communities Opioid Response Program for Medication Assisted Treatment Access. In addition, Chiricahua Community Health Center will receive a $300,000 award from HHS for Overdose Response.
Funding will support increased Medication Assisted Treatment Access and to hire and train both behavioral health technicians, for community-based screenings for substance use disorder, and peer recovery supports specialists, to work in primary care and behavioral health clinics in Cochise County, Arizona. The funds will be used to implement a set of evidence-based interventions and practices that align with the U.S. Department of Health & Human Service’s Overdose Prevention Strategy.
“This federal investment will be transformational for Cochise County and Southern Arizona in how we address rising fatalities and treatment access associated with opioid addiction,” said Rep. Grijalva. “I’ll continue to support community health centers like Chiricahua and their mission to provide these needed health care services, especially in rural communities.”
“The purpose of the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) is to reduce the morbidity and mortality of substance use disorders in rural counties,” said Tamika Sullivan, MSW, LCSW, and Director of Chiricahua Community Health Center Inc’s Behavioral Health Department. “With this new funding, Chiricahua will create two new Medically Assisted Treatment (MAT) access points in Cochise County and together, these two new programs will not only increase the capacity and availability of MAT services but will create a program with sufficient supportive services to successfully impact morbidity and mortality, and ensure sustainability.”
The federal funding comes as overdose deaths in Cochise County increased 65% from April 2021 to April 2022, the largest spike in the state.