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The Great Lakes Rural Opioid Technical Assistance - Regional Center (ROTA-RC) is a multi-state collaboration of Cooperative Extension programs working to address mental health and substance use concerns in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin. This six-state collaboration is funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
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Early Winter (Maxim Gundarov, courtesy of Canva images)
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It is the season of gratitude! This year, Great Lakes ROTA-RC has a lot to be grateful for - a growing community of dedicated professionals and community members coming together sharing a mindset to connect and create spaces of positive health and well-being for all who call the Great Lakes home.
We want to take a moment to pause, notice all the contributions that have been made this year, savor the new and existing connections built or fortified, and express our gratitude to be a part of it all.
In November we return to celebrate work in Michigan to get the latest updates from our partners about their efforts to strengthen community capacity to prevent, treat, and support recovery and reduce harm for opioid & other substance use, as well as mental health disorders.
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Do You Need Technical Assistance (TA)?
Technical assistance is targeted support using a culturally relevant, evidence-based, holistic approach to help rural communities build capacity, as well as plan and implement programming. Great Lakes ROTA-RC collaborates with internal and external providers to customize and tailor responses to meet the needs and readiness levels of the rural communities we serve.
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Great Lakes ROTA-RC Partner
Michigan State University Extension
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Each month we will be spotlighting the range of services, supports and resources available throughout the Great Lakes region. We will highlight one of our states, their local efforts, partners, and events as well as continue to connect you to national mental health services that will serve you and your community. This month we shine the spotlight on MICHIGAN, home of Great Lakes ROTA-RC partner, Michigan State University Extension
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Michigan State University (MSU) Extension helps people improve their lives by bringing the vast knowledge resources of MSU directly to individuals, communities and businesses. For more than 100 years, MSU Extension has helped grow Michigan’s economy by equipping Michigan residents with the information that they need to do their jobs better, raise healthy and safe families, build their communities and empower our children to dream of a successful future.
With a presence in every Michigan county, Extension faculty and staff members provide tools to live and work better. From a personal meeting to information online, MSU Extension educators work every day to provide the most current information when people need it to ensure success – in the workplace, at home and in the community.
Looking for an MSU Extension program in your local county, or just want to explore the multitude of virtual statewide offerings from wherever in the Great Lakes region you are? Check out this partner's online event calendar.
Below are some highlights of MSU Extension’s highlight programs to further explore.
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Reimagining Recovery
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This webinar series explores the structural, social, and root determinants of health, limitations of the brain disease model of addiction, and how criminalizing and punitive approaches to substance use are both normalized and exacerbating the overdose crisis.
Presenters will highlight regional trends in opioid use, emphasize non-punitive strategies to support people who use drugs and/or are living in recovery, including harm reduction, and describe ways that communities can better support people who use drugs and their families. Participants will be encouraged to reimagine their roles and efforts in prevention, treatment, and recovery, to be more aligned with principles of health equity and justice.
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Mental Health First Aid (MHFA)
Mental Health First Aid USA (MHFA) is an evidence-based certification program from the National Council for Mental Wellbeing that teaches participants how to recognize and respond to signs and symptoms of a mental health or substance use challenge or crisis.
Michigan State University (MSU) Extension took on MHFA as an internal effort beginning in 2017. Trainers traveled around Michigan from 2017-2019 focusing on certifying their MSU Extension colleagues in either Adult or Youth MHFA. Once most MSU Extension professionals were trained, the program shifted to a community focus. While this transition was happening, the program itself was going through updates, shifting from an entirely in-person program to one that could be done online.
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, MSU Extension MHFA trainers began teaching community members in this online format. The online format enabled MSU Extension to reach a wide variety of individuals from all over Michigan and the U.S. Popular audiences have included select staff from large corporations based in Michigan, libraries, non-profit organizations, and staff from state, county, and city-supported programs. While many MHFA participants have taken the class as part of their professional role, many have found the program to be helpful for both their personal and professional relationships.
Over the last 7 years of program implementation, MSU Extension MHFA trainers have certified over 2000 individuals in Adult MHFA. Over half of these individuals were community members certified in the last 3 years, and a fourth of them were certified in 2023 alone. The Adult MHFA program at MSU Extension has been continually expanding and reaching new audiences and hopes for this to continue. The instructor team is now the largest it has ever been, and the program hopes to use this talented and dedicated team to increase accessibility to MHFA by offering more course options and implementing other program updates in 2024. Stay up to date with the MSU Extension Adult MHFA team by visiting their webpage!
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Great Lakes ROTA-RC Website
The Great Lakes ROTA-RC website has a constantly growing network, an active events page, resources from all over the region, news posts from our major partners, and much more. We hope you'll find something you need.
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Role of Forgiveness in Recovery
Wednesday, November 29, 10:00-11:30 PM CST / 11:00-12:30 PM EST
A Closer Look at the Farm-Mental Health, Wellness and Risk
Tuesday, December 12, 10:00 AM-11:15 PM CST / 11:00 AM-12:15 PM EST
Harm Reduction Public Health Vending Machines
Tuesday, January 8, 10:00-11:00 AM CST/ 11:00-12:00 PM
Early Warning Signs and Suicide Prevention Best Practices in Children and Youth
2-Part
Tuesday, January 23, Wednesday, January 24, 12:00-2:00 PM CST/ 1:00-3:00 PM EST
Know Your Resources Series
Rural Health Information Hub (RHIhub)
Thursday, December 14, 10:00-11:00 AM CST / 11:00 AM-12:00 PM EST
Great Lakes Technology Transfer Center
Monday, February 12, 11:00 AM-12:00 PM CST / 12:00 PM-1:00 PM EST
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University of Michigan
March 12-13, 2024
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National Association for Addiction Professionals
Free Virtual Summit
February 8-9
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Foundational Fridays - Sex Work 101
November 17
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LUNCH & LEARN with RHeSUS
Wisconsin Rural Health and Substance Use Clinical Support Program
3rd Monday of every Month
12:15-1:15 PM CST
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Upcoming 2024 Topics (subject to change)
- Alcohol use disorder pharmacotherapy
- Hospital (ED) management of alcohol withdrawal
- Cases: ED/Hospital alcohol withdrawal
- Cannabis
- Cases: Alcohol use disorder
- and many more...
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Michigan News & Resources
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Care Not Criminalization Campaign
From April 2020 to April 2021 overdose death increased 19% in Michigan and the nation reached the grim milestone of 100,000 lives lost to overdose. During this time period, residents of Michigan felt the need for improved mental health infrastructure and local organizers and activists reimagined public safety and worked towards ending mass incarceration. At this moment, Michigan Liberation believes we can’t afford to watch our family and community suffer the criminalization of mental health and substance use. Our people demand something different. We need to prioritize the care of our people, community by community, and not more police and jails.
Learn more about their guiding principles, mission and vision by checking out Michigan Liberation.
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The end of Marijuana testing for most State jobs
Many prospective state of Michigan employees will no longer have to test negative on a marijuana drug test to land the job.
The Michigan Civil Service Commission on Wednesday voted unanimously to change state rules requiring applicants for state government positions to pass a pre-employment marijuana drug screen and barring those who fail from working for the state in any capacity for three years.
Not all of Michigan’s nearly 54,000 full-time positions will be off the hook for marijuana drug testing since the rule took effect in October.
State troopers, corrections officers, health care workers — jobs in which federal rules require tests — will still be subject to testing, as will those that require frequent driving or operation of heavy machinery. State agencies will continue to drug test all incoming employees for cocaine, opiates, amphetamines and phencyclidine (angel dust).
Read the rest of the article from Bridge Michigan HERE
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The Fourth City in Michigan to Decriminalize Psychedelics
On February 27, the council of Ferndale, a city of 20,000 in the Detroit metropolitan area, unanimously approved a resolution decriminalizing entheogenic plants and fungi (the measure was lumped in with other unrelated actions and voted on as a package). The text states that “planting, cultivating, purchasing, transporting, distributing, engaging in practices with, or possessing Entheogenic Plants … shall be the lowest law enforcement priority for the City of Ferndale.”
It’s clear that psychedelic decriminalization has powerful appeal in many regions. But below the surface of the movement is a mass of sometimes-conflicting ideas for how best to move forward. The nature of “nature” is a central political question for advocates. The term “naturally occurring” has become widespread in local resolutions ever since Decriminalize Nature sparked the groundbreaking win in Oakland.
When politicians talk about changing criminal laws, police listen. And that’s been a feature of the psychedelic decriminalization journey. The truth is that psychedelics comprise a much smaller portion of drug-war enforcement than other drug types. Cities, again, can only go so far to protect psychedelic users from criminalization without action from state governments.
Read the rest of the article from Filter by Alexander Lexktman HERE
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The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has been a widely used resource for many professionals looking for the latest information on treatment updates, professional training, grant programs, data, research and more.
In November we highlight a number of important aspects of social inclusion and mental awareness. With our partner SAMHSA we will work together to highlight the following social issue and hope you will make the most of these resources;
National Homelessness Awareness and Youth Homelessness Awareness Month SAMHSA works in partnership with federal, state and local partners and national experts to provide training on housing, treatment and recovery models focused on adults, children, and families who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness and have serious mental illness and/or serious emotional disturbance, and substance use.
Share a message of hope using SAMHSA’s toolkit resources as well as the local resources you have available to connect with the houseless in your area during this season of connection, hope and giving.
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NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH
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November is National Native American Heritage Month, a time to honor Native peoples for their cultures, traditions, and history.
The Office of Tribal Affairs and Policy (OTAP) brings together SAMHSA’s tribal affairs, tribal policy, tribal consultation, tribal advisory, and Tribal Law and Order Act responsibilities to improve agency coordination and meaningful progress.
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Check out the policy, resources and events at OTAP and spread the word to your local communities that may benefit from their support.
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Great Lakes ROTA-RC Advisory Board
Follow us here as we learn about the passion, projects and resources that make our Advisory Board members Great Lakers!
We would like to pause this month to say thank you to our entire Advisory Board, who inspire us every month with their local work, their passion, and commitment to prevention, harm reduction and recovery!
We hope you enjoy hearing about them every month and it encourages you to join coalitions, committees and boards wherever you are.
You are so very appreciated - THANK YOU!
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The Great Lakes Neighborhood
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Great Lakes ROTA-RC, with its Midwest region Cooperative Extension partners, highlights community programming in the featured state of the month. These great programs help highlight the excellent work happening in the Great Lakes Neighborhood. This month’s partner highlights are The PORCH
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The PORCH, Providing Opportunities for Recovery and Community Health, a project of Addiction Treatment Services in Traverse City, Michigan, is an important resource that offers many programs and services (for example safe syringe access, acupuncture, peer-to-peer support, and many more). They also have a Family Road to Recovery Program, designed for family members, individuals and friends who would like to improve their relationship with a loved one struggling with addiction, or a loved one in recovery. They utilize multiple pathways to recovery to help those attending see the success they envision for themselves.
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Great Lakes Technology Transfer Centers
The purpose of the SAMHSA-funded Technology Transfer Centers (TTC) is to develop and strengthen the specialized behavioral healthcare and primary healthcare workforce that provides prevention, treatment, and recovery support services for substance use disorders and mental illness.
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Follow the link for;
Upcoming training events
What's New
Practical Guides
Products
e-Publications
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Follow the link for;
Upcoming training events
What's New
Assessments
Access to Crisis Services
e-Publications
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Follow the link for;
Upcoming training events
What's New
Resource Guides
Certifications & a Database
e-Publications
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988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
SAMHSA Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
NAMI National Alliance on Mental Illness
RHI Hub Rural Health Information Hub
Great Lakes PTTC Prevention Technology Transfer Center
Great Lakes ATTC Addiction Technology Transfer Center
Great Lakes MHTTC Mental Health Technology Transfer Center
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The Great Lakes Rural Opioid Technical Assistance Regional Center (ROTA-RC) is funded by SAMHSA to serve rural areas in Il, IN, MI, MN, OH, and WI. The University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension leads ROTA-RC in partnership with the University of Illinois-Extension, Purdue Extension, Michigan State University Extension, University of Minnesota Extension, and Ohio State University Extension. Learn more at our website, greatlakesrota.extension.wisc.edu
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An EEO/AA employer, University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension provides equal opportunities in employment and programming, including Title VI, Title IX, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act requirements. La Universidad de Wisconsin-Extensión, un empleador con igualdad de oportunidades y acción afirmativa (EEO/AA), proporciona igualdad de oportunidades en empleo y programas, incluyendo los requisitos del Titulo VI, Título IX, y de la Ley para Americanos con Discapacidades (ADA).
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