OPIOID CRISIS INTERVENTION VISTA PROJECT
Health360 is hosting a new AmeriCorps VISTA project in Waterbury that will engage national service members in addressing the opioid epidemic. Health360's Opioid Crisis Intervention VISTA Project will utilize two AmeriCorps VISTA members to develop and implement an innovative opioid addiction prevention education program for youth to be delivered by students enrolled in post-secondary health programs. AmeriCorps VISTA members will recruit and train volunteers to deliver the program to economically disadvantaged youth. Activities will include: creating and facilitating work groups to develop and implement a community-based opioid crisis intervention; evaluating existing educational intervention strategies; launching an educational program to be piloted in Waterbury; building community awareness and support for the program; and collecting and analyzing data to measure program’s success. The project will coordinate efforts with the Mayor's Regional Opioid Task Force in Waterbury and other local and regional initiatives.
"A proud member of the National Service Network."
RECOGNITION FROM MAYOR O'LEARY
Mayor Neil O’Leary announced a new AmeriCorps VISTA project in Waterbury that will engage national service members in addressing the opioid epidemic. Mayor O’Leary remarked that while Waterbury has the second highest number of opioid overdoses in Connecticut, substantial work has been accomplished in Waterbury to address the opioid crisis. Waterbury welcomes Health360’s VISTA launch with the goal of complement this work by adding resources that will move the needle to reduce opioid addiction in the community.
SERVE AS A VISTA AMERICORPS MEMBER
The VISTA member makes a 12-month full-time service commitment and will develop an Opioid Addiction Prevention Program geared towards urban youth and developed in collaboration with a wide range of community stakeholders. Under VISTA member leadership, a work group will use a strategic planning process to determine upstream causes of opioid addiction and develop an educational intervention to address these underlying causes. The program innovation is to engage health profession students to deliver educational content to youth. Health profession student will act as role models and mentors for local youth while learning their role as future health providers in stemming the opioid crisis.
Important qualifications we seek in our VISTA member include 1) Bachelors degree in health, public health, social work or related field, 2) Personal/professional knowledge of public health, mental health, substance use issues, 3) Strong community outreach skills and experience, and 4) Skills and experience facilitating diverse groups and creating/maintaining a positive, effective learning environment.
Click here for a detailed description of the Opioid Addiction Response Specialist VISTA member position description.
Click here to apply to become a VISTA member complete an application on the AmeriCorps Portal.