Comprehensive community-based program to reduce the impact of substance misuse on individuals and the community through education and peer recovery services.

Located in Western North Carolina, Henderson County is a suburban medium-sized jurisdiction of 375 square miles that includes five municipalities and 118,106 residents (U.S. Census Bureau, 2022). The Henderson County Department of Public Health (HCDPH), in partnership with Hope Coalition, plans to implement a comprehensive initiative to address the overdose crisis and the impacts of illicit opioids, stimulants, and other substances. This initiative aims to reduce overdose deaths, promote public safety, and support access to prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery services within both the community and the justice system using an adaptation of the California Bridge model.  
 
Building on the successful collaboration that led to the establishment of Henderson County’s first Recovery Community Center (RCC), this project seeks to expand the capacity and reach of the RCC through the implementation of a Bridge Model. The expansion will include new programs focused on diversion and access to evidence-based treatment, fostering locally driven responses to substance misuse through enhanced supervision, prevention, and recovery support services across Henderson County and its surrounding areas. 
 
The project will sustain and grow peer support services to reduce overdose incidents and other harms from substance misuse. It includes evidence-based interventions such as naloxone distribution, connections to Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT), and recovery support for justice-involved populations, along with strengthened partnerships between justice, behavioral health, and public health sectors. It will enhance community-based services by providing greater access to substance misuse services, criminal justice diversion, and drug-free workplace programs, as well as workforce development initiatives that connect the business and recovery communities to prepare individuals for employment. The project will also emphasize the recovery-to-employment continuum and criminal diversion as strategies to reduce relapse and improve recovery rates. Evidence-based practices, such as overdose prevention education, connection to MAT, and post-release support, are anticipated to lower recidivism and overdose rates. Henderson County aims to increase the number of individuals in recovery reporting improved access to treatment, job training, and recovery services, and we expect a corresponding decrease in overdose rates across Henderson County.