Community Education Group, Inc.

Rural Health Network Development Planning Grant Program - Applicant Organization Information Community Education Group 110 Whispering Pines Way, Lost River, WV, 26810 Coordinating Agency Communityeducationgroup.org Proposed Service Region West Virginia Rural Counties of Barbour, Boone, Braxton, Cabell, Calhoun, Clay, Fayette, Gilmer, Hardy, Lincoln, Logan, Mcdowell, Mercer, Mingo, Nicholas, Roane, Summers, Webster, Wetzel, Wirt, Wood, and Wyoming Network Name West Virginia Rural Health Network Legislative Aim(s) Aim #1: Achieve Efficiencies Focus Area: Community Education Group’s Focus Area Is Substance Use Disorder, Hiv and HCV Designated Project Director Information Hillary Viens, Deputy Executive Director 802-503-9640 Hviens@communityeducationgroup.org Funding Preference Ceg Meets Funding Preference 1. Please See Attachment 8. • Brief Description of the Population Group(s) to Be Served: the Rural Population to Be Served Include Historically Marginalized Individuals and Communities, Including Populations That Have Historically Suffered From Poorer Behavioral Health/sud Outcomes, Hiv and HCV Health Disparities, and Other Inequities Compared to the Overall Population. This Includes Those Who Are Multi-generationally Appalachian And/or Identify Culturally as Appalachian, and Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Populations. • Structural and Systemic Barriers to Sud/opioid Use Disorder (OUD) Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Services, HCV, and Hiv Prevention and Screening, Have Contributed Significantly to the Persistently High Rates of Sud Overdose, Hiv, and HCV in West Virginia. These Include: a Lack of Health Care and Sud Treatment Providers, a Lack of Access to Hiv/hcv Testing, Lack of Awareness of the Importance of Getting Tested, Stigma Around Accessing Sud, Hiv and HCV Services, and Lack of Available Transportation in Rural Settings. Rates of Untreated Viral Hepatitis, Hiv, and Sud Overdose Increased During the COVID-19 Pandemic, as Patients Failed to Attend Appointments and Access Services Due to Isolation, Lack of Insurance, Lack of Awareness of the Availability of Services, Competing Priorities, and Other Barriers to Accessing Treatment Services. Network Members Community Connections, Provider Potomac Highlands Guild, Provider Bright Futures Now, Inc., Provider • 75% of Network Members Are Rural • All Network Members Are Ready to Collaborate Experience in Serving Rural Underserved Populations • Ceg Works to Address a Range of Health Issues, Including Hiv/aids, Stis, Viral Hepatitis, Substance Use Disorder/opioid Use Disorder (sud/oud), Youth Violence, Domestic Violence, Teen Pregnancy, and Environmental Health Issues. More Recently, Ceg Has Been Engaged in Training, Technical Assistance, and Capacity Building Work Related to Hiv, COVID-19, and Influenza Community Education and Vaccine Uptake Efforts in Rural Areas, Particularly in West Virginia and Throughout Appalachia. • Ceg Will Involve Rural Underserved Populations in the Development and Ongoing Operations of the Network. Specifically, Ceg and Its Network Partners Will Develop and Implement a Community Advisory Board (CAB) Consisting of Members of the Rural Communities. They Will Meet Quarterly via Zoom to Receive Information on the Activities of the Network, Provide Feedback and Insights on the Assessment Process, and Participate in the Assessment Process as Well. as a Result of the Network and the Community/provider Assessment Process Ceg Anticipates That the Communities Within the 22 Rural Counties Will Experience Increased Access to Quality Health Care Services. the Assessment Process Will Result in Identification of Actional Strategies to Increase Access to and Utilization of Health and Behavioral Health Care Services. Funding Opportunity Notification Grants.gov