8-17-2020

For Further Information Contact:
Paul Conrad, BS CCHW-CT, Project Director
pconrad@aspin.org
317-536-4681

ASPIN Receives Grant to expand existing para-professional certificate program for Community Health Workers (CHW) to be trained to provide support for families impacted by opioid use disorders (OUD).

Health Resource and Service Administration (HRSA) has awarded Affiliated Service Providers in Indiana, Inc. (ASPIN) 2.4 million dollars over four years to prepare paraprofessionals to work with families who are impacted by opioid use disorder(OUD) and other substance use disorders (SUD) in high need areas. This program will be the first Department of Labor (DOL) certified CHW apprenticeship program in the State of Indiana.

“Governor Eric Holcomb is committed to helping Hoosier families affected by substance use disorder access quality care and resources,” said Douglas Huntsinger, Executive Director for Drug Prevention, Treatment and Enforcement. “I’m thrilled that the expansion of ASPIN’s paraprofessional certificate program will help fill the gap of community health workers in rural and underserved areas across Indiana.”

The ASPIN Opioid Impacted Family Support Program will expand ASPIN’s existing para-professional certificate program for Community Health Workers (CHW) by the addition of an Opioid Impacted Family Support certificate. CCHWs will better understand the specific needs of providing services to children whose parents are impacted by opioid use disorders (OUD) and other substance use disorders (SUD), and their family members who are in guardianship roles. A total of 100 additional level one slots will be added over the 4-year award period to create new skills and competencies for a diverse workforce to work with families that are impacted by OUD/SUDs in counties that have been identified or having high need and demand for services.

ASPIN President and CEO, Kathy Cook is excited to be able to expand ASPIN’s nationally known CHW training to include best practices on assisting Opioid impacted families. Cook said, “With over 25 years of addiction treatment experience we know that families are affected tremendously and can be the support needed to begin the path to recovery.”

The project will be accomplished with ASPIN and three community Mental Health Centers (Centerstone, Four County and Hamilton Center) who serve the targeted population to where they will recruit CHWs in 10 rural and underserved Indiana counties to enter the behavioral health/primary care workforce or continue to college seeking an advanced degree in human services to support families & children who are dealing with OUD/SUD. The 10 counties targeted for the program include Boone, Brown, Cass, Clark, Hancock, Jackson, Marion, Randolph, Vermillion and Wayne.

Affiliated Service Providers of Indiana, Inc. (d.b.a. ASPIN) is a 501 (C) 3 not-for-profit network that operates four major service lines: behavioral health services, professional training and workforce development, grants management, and health improvement. The mission of ASPIN is to provide innovative educational programs, resource management, program development, and network management in collaboration with all healthcare entities to address health disparities and who health management.