• The OWH’s grant to fund STARS’ “Prevention of Opioid Misuse in Women” initiative aims at combating the opioid epidemic in women and girls.
• STARS will partner with The Next Door, Vanderbilt University’s Center for Student Wellbeing, Jazzy 88 WFSK, and Nashville Prevention Partnership.
• STARS is one of 16 nonprofit entities to be awarded this grant across the nation.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Oct. 11, 2017) – The Office on Women’s Health (OWH) named STARS a 2018 grant recipient, awarding $100,000 in the first year of funding, to combat the opioid epidemic in women and girls in Middle Tennessee.

As part of the administration’s efforts to combat drug addiction and opioid misuse, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) OWH announced 16 awards to public and private nonprofit entities across the nation. The 16 projects cover 16 cities in a dozen states, and were selected to address the primary and/or secondary prevention of prescription and illegal opioid misuse by women across their lifespan. This grant provides three years of funding.

STARS Nashville, a school- and community-based program providing services for young people, will work with The Next Door (TND), Vanderbilt University’s Center for Student Wellbeing, Nashville Prevention Partnership (NPP) and Jazzy 88 WFSK. The organizations will work together to strategically educate girls ages 10 to 17 years and women aged 50 years and older to prevent opioid misuse.

“In Tennessee, we’ve seen a unique combination of biological, health, and social factors lead to the growing opioid epidemic among women,” STARS CEO Rodger Dinwiddie said. “This grant will allow STARS and our grant partners to provide education on opioid prevention to women in Middle Tennessee.”

In addition to utilizing evidence-based substance abuse services, this opioid-misuse prevention initiative will incorporate STARS’ Youth Overcoming Drug Abuse (YODA) program. This is an intensive outpatient treatment program licensed by the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services for adolescents with substance use and co-occurring disorders.

At Vanderbilt, STARS will expand universal prevention efforts to young women on campus to prevent opioid misuse and abuse. TND will provide opioid prevention education for adult women – with emphasis on the 50 and over – their family members, and the community at-large. The NPP will work with its members to create a comprehensive, community-based approach to organizing and developing plans, initiatives, and programs to combat drug abuse and violence. Jazzy 88 FM WFSK will create and broadcast a public service campaign targeted to women of all ages.

The organizations receiving awards of approximately $100,000 each are:

• Capitol Area Human Services District, Baton Rouge, La.
• Cardea Services, Austin, Texas
• City of Janesville, Janesville, Wis.
• Community Clinics Health Network, San Diego, Calif.
• Institute for Health and Recovery Inc., Cambridge, Mass.
• Iowa Department of Public Health, Des Moines, Iowa
• Meridian Behavioral Healthcare, Jacksonville, Fla.
• Minnesota Department of Health, St. Paul, Minn.
• National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence of Middlesex, East Brunswick, New Jersey
• Northeast Florida Healthy Start Coalition Inc., Jacksonville, Fla.
• Parent Child Center Community Wellness Center, Oak Park, Ill.
• Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine, Stratford, New Jersey
• Sentara RMH Medical Center, Rockingham, Va.
• STARS Nashville, Nashville, Tenn,
• The Lakes Community Health Center, Inc., Iron River, Wis.
• The Wheeler Clinic Inc., Plainville, Conn.
• Volunteers of America of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, Calif.
• Western Maryland Area Health Education Center, Cumberland, Md.
• Women Organized to Respond to Life-Threatening Diseases, Oakland, Calif.

For additional information on the HHS Secretary’s Initiative aimed at reducing prescription opioid- and heroin-related overdose, deaths and dependence, visit www.hhs.gov/opioids. For additional information on OWH’s programs and initiatives, visit www.womenshealth.gov.

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About STARS

STARS is an evidence-based, award-winning nonprofit with a national footprint in clinical, behavioral and mental health services. The organization reaches young people through school- and community-based services focused on prevention, intervention, treatment, training and compassion. For over 33 years, STARS has provided creative and innovative programs to address social and emotional barriers through its five major program areas. It is recognized by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration on the National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices. To learn more, visit starsnashville.org.

About HHS

It is the mission of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to enhance and protect the health and well-being of all Americans. We fulfill that mission by providing for effective health and human services and fostering advances in medicine, public health and social services.
About OWH

The Office on Women’s Health (OWH) was established in 1991 within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). OWH coordinates women’s health efforts across HHS and addresses critical women’s health issues by informing and advancing policies, educating health care professionals and consumers, and supporting model programs.