ARPA Grant: Building Partnerships to Address the Opioid Crisis

Our Focus

The Prince William Health District received funding from the Virginia Department of Health's (VDH) American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Community Engagement grant opportunity. This three-year award supports community engagement efforts among key stakeholders and community members who have a shared vision of preventing opioid-related deaths and injuries in our region.

We do this by evaluating, educating, and leveraging systems of care to impact the residents of Prince William County, City of Manassas and the City of Manassas Park. Our goals are rooted in a Public Health 3.0 model to ensure that our partners in the social safety net have the right information to give our communities the right kind of support for individuals and their families navigating mental and behavioral health challenges.

We are deeply committed to improving the overall health and wellbeing of every resident in our region as we work to address this public health crisis. If you have any questions regarding opioid use and would like to learn more about what the PWHD is doing to support community-based efforts or would like to discuss partnerships to strengthen our response to the addiction crisis, please contact Hope, Community Engagement Specialist at Kirstin.Sievers@vdh.virginia.gov

In June of 2023, the PWHD was award the ARPA grant to increase community engagement to reduce death and injuries related to opioid use disorder. Our team developed a needs assessment protocol that was VDH IRB approved in September of the same year. By January of 2024 all ecosystem partner interviews were completed. In May of 2024 we analyzed all secondary data sources and by June of 2024 all listening sessions for primary populations of interest were conducted and coded for key themes. In July of 2024, the PWHD completed the Opioid Needs Assessment: Understanding Community Factors for Opioid Use Disorder.

NEWS RELEASE: August 12, 2024

Prince William Health District Shares Findings of Opioid Needs Assessment
Reveal Targeted Interventions, Strategies to Address Opioid Crisis

Read more>>