Amid the nation’s ongoing battle against opioids, Concordia has received U.S. government funding to expand a program aimed at alleviating a shortage of paraprofessionals who work to prevent opioid use disorders and help families impacted by the drugs.
Concordia has received a $1.8 million, four-year grant renewal from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), an operating division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The grant proposal details Concordia’s desire to enhance student training and expand the paraprofessional workforce that helps families and individuals who suffer from opioid abuse.
Concordia faculty Sandy Slater, PhD, and Sara Casali, DSW, are co-program directors on the grant and will be responsible for implementing this educational opportunity in the upcoming years. Slater serves as the director of CUW’s Bachelor of Science in Public Health program, while Casali oversees Concordia’s Master of Social Work field education placements. This renewal allows them to continue work started in 2020, when Concordia was awarded $2.2 million and was one of only 28 organizations nationwide to be awarded an opioid response-related HRSA grant that year.
Stipends offered to participants
Slater and Casali will utilize the grant funding to enhance and expand the existing program offerings for students, and continue to cover tuition costs and provide a living stipend to students who opt into the Opioid-Impacted Family Support Certificate Program (OIFSP). The program consists of two levels of training. In Level 1, participants complete didactic coursework (offered in an online format) and are matched with experiential field training to gain hands-on education focusing on opioid and substance use disorders. Once participants complete Level 1, they can apply for Level 2, which involves a paid registered apprenticeship that allows participants additional opportunities to grow, refine, and enhance their learning capacities.
The OIFSP is open to undergraduate and graduate students in any program on both the CUW and CUAA campuses. Additionally, Concordia welcomes individuals who are not currently enrolled in the university but who either have lived experience with battling addiction or who currently work in a relevant field.
Altogether, participants can complete the program in one to two years. At the end of the program, Wisconsin participants will be eligible to apply for their Substance Abuse Counselor In-Training (SAC-IT) certificate, which is issued by the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services. Michigan participants, meanwhile, will be able to apply for their Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC) certificate, which is issued by the Michigan Certification Board for Addiction Professionals. The SAC-IT and CADC are the standard, state-issued certificates for professionals who work in the opioid misuse treatment field.
Addressing an ongoing need
According to Centers for Disease Control data, drug overdose death rates nearly quadrupled from 2002-2022, earning it an undesirable spot among the leaderboard of injury deaths among U.S. adults. Thus, the need for intervention remains critical. There is reason to be hopeful though; recently released 2023 public health data shows opioid deaths nationwide decreased from last year. Mirroring national trends, Wisconsin and Michigan saw victories as well, with overdose deaths from 2022 to 2023 dropping by 5.7% in Michigan and 4% in Wisconsin.
Still, the need for qualified workers who can address the whole family unit impacted is essential, said Slater.
“The consequences of an individual’s drug use reach beyond just them personally,” said Slater. “Drug use is felt across families and communities, often most acutely by children. These forgotten victims are frequently overlooked by systems that are more focused on providing direct services to combat and stop the opioid use and misuse. Concordia’s program aims to take a much broader look at the issue.”
Want in?
Concordia’s Opioid-Impacted Family Support Certificate Program is now accepting applicants. Those accepted into the program will have 100% of their program costs paid and have the opportunity to earn an additional stipend. Learn more about the program and start the application process by visiting the OIFSP website.
This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $1.8 million. The contents are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA/HHS, or the U.S. Government.