VSU Public Health Institute Awarded $500,000 Grant To Combat Opioid Crisis

The funding will support a collaborative initiative to reduce opioid use through education, interventions, and student engagement.

Virginia State University is proud to announce that its Public Health Institute received a grant for $500,575 from the Opioid Abatement Authority (OAA) in an effort to reduce overdoses through interventions, health education, training, outreach, and resource connectivity.

The funding will jumpstart a new collaborative initiative through the Public Health Institute and the University's Psychology Department. The initiative called "At the H.E.L.M. (Healthful Engagement, Leveraging, and Mobilization): Countermeasures for Opioid Use and Abuse" will focus on offering activities such as innovative interventions, health education, and alternative therapies.

“HBCUs play a pivotal role in being a change agent in the opioid epidemic as it remains a significant public health issue,” said Tara Dickerson, executive director of Virginia State University's Public Health Institute (VSUPHI) and the project's principal investigator. “Addressing the needs of individuals struggling with substance use and mental health disorders, particularly in underserved areas, is overdue. Having the opportunity to expand access to treatments, harm reduction activities, and recovery services with vulnerable communities is paramount.”

Additionally, the program will assist VSU students in addressing the escalating opioid problem by enhancing and bolstering their workforce. In order to advance community-based health programming, the OAA grant makes it possible to host a pilot cohort of several disciplines. Three undergraduate students, Tamia Hopkins, Social Work; Clarke Simmons, Health Physical Education Recreation & Dance; and Brinae Williams, Psychology, along with one master's level student, Dominic Almond, General Psychology, will engage in student-focused learning through professional trainings, certifications, and fieldwork.

"Our Public Health and Psychology faculty and staff are dedicated to serving the surrounding communities and meeting the educational needs of our students," said Dr. Derrick Scott, Dean of the College of Natural and Health Sciences. "At the H.E.L.M embodies the University's values and overall commitment to excellence."

Anyone interested in learning more about the VSU Public Health Institute is encouraged to visit https://www.vsu.edu/academics/public-health/.