Principal investigator Kathy Hosig, associate professor in the Center for Public Health Practice and Research in the Department of Population Health Sciences, has been awarded a two-year Substance Abuse and Mental Services Administration Agency (SAMHSA) grant to implement evidenced-based universal prevention curricula to reduce misuse of opioids and stimulants in rural Virginia.

TITLE
Virginia Cooperative Extension Partnerships for Rural Opioids Technical Assistance

FUNDING AGENCY
SAMHSA

TOTAL AWARD

$1,099,739
Direct: $1,018,277
Indirect: $81,462

DURATION OF AWARD
Aug. 31, 2020 — Aug. 30, 2022

KEY FACULTY PERSONNEL
PI
: Kathy Hosig
Co-PI/Co-PD: Crystal Tyler-Mackey (College of Agriculture and Life Sciences) and Karen Vines (College of Agriculture and Life Sciences)

SIGNFICANCE
The project will build upon two current USDA-funded Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE) projects and a SAMHSA-funded VCE project to reduce misuse of opioids and stimulants in rural Virginia. Training and technical assistance through implementation of evidenced-based universal prevention curricula will be expanded to target students in third to ninth grades and their families in 13 additional rural counties across Virginia. Five regional Extension project coordinators will facilitate implementation of project activities and will support local community groups and coalitions that focus on substance use disorder.