Center Services

The CRHSSD is in place to help address health care and social service issues impacting the lives and productivity of those in our state and nation. We do this through grant and project development, research and evaluation, training and workforce development and community engagement and outreach.

For more information on our current projects, partnering on a project, or obtaining CEU’s for a project, please contact us. 

CATCH

The Illinois CATCH onto Health! Consortium is a collaboration among community partners within the southern Illinois region aiming to improve child health through policy, system, and environmental changes.  This federally funded program supports the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child model and focuses on several dimensions of health such as physical health, mental health, sexual health, and social health. Approximately 75% of schools are implementing components of this program. The Consortium also offers Hidden in Plain Sight, which provides a hands-on, interactive display of a teen bedroom that has hidden “clues” to drug use including paraphernalia and signs.  The room can be set up in a multitude of locations/settings and is used for community and parental education and awareness.  To learn more about the Illinois CATCH onto Health! Initiative or other Consortium activities, please contact Ashley Moss at amoss64@siumed.edu.

Certified Recovery Support Specialist Training Program

This program trains a professional with lived experiences with mental health and/or substance use challenges to help others as they move forward in their own recovery. A Certified Recovery Support Specialist serves as a role model and encourages hope for others on their pathway to recovery. For more information, contact Elizabeth Raleigh at eraleigh51@siumed.edu. 

Drug Endangered Children and Family Facilitated Human Trafficking

This project offers education, awareness, and community alliance formation by certified National DEC trainers around the topics of drug endangered children and family facilitated human trafficking. For more information, contact Liesl Wingert at lwingert68@siumed.edu. 

Farm Family Resource Initiative

The Southern Illinois University School of Medicine Center for Rural Health and Social Services Development (CRHSSD) is leading the effort to build a network of support and resources for Illinois farm families. The purpose of the initiative is to provide a range of resources including a helpline to assist with farmers and farm-related issues that include mental and physical health needs. Additionally, the initiative will offer ongoing outreach, education and training to rural clients and partners working to improve the health and safety of farm families. For more information, contact Karen Leavitt Stallman at kstallman88@siumed.edu.

Medicated Assisted Recovery (MAR) Training and Implementation Program

The MAR Stipend Program was designed to incentivize providers to become x-waivered, enabling them to prescribe buprenorphine for Opioid Use Disorder. This year the MAR Stipend Program offers funding to healthcare organizations that submit an MAR implementation plan and have at least one provider trained to implement MAR services at their organization.  The program offers funding to individual prescribers who partake in the X-waiver training and submit a Notice of Intent through SAMHSA or for providers who were previously X-Waivered, and begin implementation of MAR services between August 2021 and April 2022. The MAR stipend program has ended, but if you would like more information on this program, contact Kitty Juul at kjuul31@siumed.edu. 

Rural Opioid Prescriber Training and Opioid Prescribing Best Practices

Through the Rural Opioid Prescriber Training Program, trainings are developed for providers who prescribe opioids.  Webinar topics vary, and all address opioid prescribing best practices.  CMEs are provided through SIU School of Medicine.  As a part of the training program, information on opioid-related resources, prescribing best practices, and past webinars are contained in the link above. For more information, contact Kristen Matthews at kmatthews25@siumed.edu. 

SUD Leadership Center

The CRHSSD SUD Leadership Center serves as the rural health expert in the network of five Illinois SUD Leadership Centers. The CRHSSD Leadership Center activities include telehealth expansion, participation in drug usage coalitions, co-coordination of the Southern Illinois Opioid Response Advisory Council with Centerstone, workforce development through creation of a Peer Recovery Support Specialist training program focused on addiction, development of Mobile Medication Assisted Recovery, and development of SUD programs for Veterans and justice-involved populations. 

Drug Overdose Prevention Program

A program offered by DHS to provide education about and distribution of Narcan, the opioid overdose reversal medication. Center for Rural Health staff partner with community organizations throughout southern Illinois to provide overdose education, including how to identify a potential overdose and how to use nasal Narcan. For more information, contact Chris Massey at cmassey98@siumed.edu or Imran Mohammed at imohammed79@siumed.edu. 

Judicial Partnerships

Working with communities to educate the public about the work of their local drug court, expansion of services including Certified Peer Recovery Specialists, and promoting support for the drug courts by assisting with the formation of community alliances. For more information, contact Liesl Wingert at lwingert68@siumed.edu. 

Medicated Assisted Recovery NOW (MAR NOW)

The MAR NOW program was developed to create a no barrier approach to accessing the medications for the treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD). Callers to the Illinois Helpline for Opioids and Other Substances with OUD seeking care are immediately transferred to a MAR NOW Care Manager, who's responsible for helping the caller access care and provide ongoing support for the individual's recovery. For more information, contact Brent Van Ham at bvanham49@siumed.edu or Chris Massey at cmassey98@siumed.edu. 

Opioid ECHO

The SIU Opioid ECHO is coordinated by the Department of Psychiatry at SIU School of Medicine. The ECHO aims to create a network of trained providers who will improve access and care for patients with opioid addiction. CMEs are provided through SIU School of Medicine. For more information contact Karen Fraase at kfraase21@siumed.edu. 

Prescription Monitoring Program

The CRHSSD coordinates the Illinois Delta Counties Project Prescription Monitoring Program for the IDHS PMP.  The project involves coordinating PMP activities with 15 Delta Region health departments.  Activities include bi-monthly Narcan distributions, provider outreach to educate on the dangers of overprescribing opioids, advertising the PMPNow, and harm reduction activities. For more information, contact Chris Massey at cmassey98@siumed.edu or Imran Mohammed at imohammed79@siumed.edu.

Trauma Based Behavioral Health Fellowship

Masters level social work students specializing in child welfare, mental health and social work tracks are recruited for this additional multidisciplinary training. The Trauma Based Behavioral Health Fellowship grant project is managed in the Center for Rural Health and Social Service Development, with the Executive Director serving as fiscal officer.