(HEAP): Community Awareness Partnerships

As part of the state’s OUD/STUD response, DSAMH is developing a range of community education/awareness campaign strategies that will be accessible to community partners, including community leaders and CBOs. DSAMH wishes to develop partnerships to refine and advance these campaigns, with a special focus on reaching racial and ethnic minorities. The focus areas of DSAMH’s current campaign strategies include:

• Reducing stigma toward persons with substance use disorders (SUD)
• Promoting awareness of and access to SUD treatment and recovery services
• Preventing SUD among youth and adults
• Reducing stigma toward medications for opioid use disorders, such as methadone and buprenorphine
• Promoting access to naloxone/Narcan
• Promoting recovery

All partnerships will include: (1) Health Equity Summit readiness support, (2) quantitative and qualitative research planning to inform and advance HEAP implementation, and (3) communications/campaign plan development support. DSAMH will also provide community partners with access to a Campaign Planner, through its partner organization Health Management Associates (HMA), to assist in the design of a customized campaign plan. The customized campaign plan will include key activities, timelines, and costs associated with implementing the campaign.