The Institute for Health Innovation at Northern Kentucky University received a grant worth over two million dollars, which will be used to create the Opioid-Impacted Family Support Program (OIFSP). The federal-backed program will help address issues caused by the opioid epidemic.
Under the grant, the IHI will help to grow the region’s number of healthcare professionals, especially those trained in helping children and teens whose parents have been impacted by the epidemic. The program will help users and their children access social services and other resources.
“This program infuses our health care ecosystem with a trained, effective workforce that goes the extra mile with what’s most important for families: healthy relationships and support for their children,” said Dr. Valerie Hardcastle, IHI executive director and vice president for Health Innovation, in a release. “Recent estimates show northern Kentucky has about a fifth of treatment capacity for outpatient services, leaving over 8,000 patients without appropriate treatment options. This is something we must address.”