Opioid and stimulant faith response Outreach

Micro-Grant Opportunity for Faith Communities

Faith-based organizations are eligible to apply for grants from the Oklahoma Faith Network, Inc. (OFN).  Founded in 1972 originally as the Oklahoma Conference of Churches (OCC), OFN has a long history of ministry to the people of Oklahoma, organizing disaster response solutions, cooperating with government agencies to educate people on specific needs, and hosting events designed to inform and promote understanding and unity.  OFN touches the lives of people from all socio-economic ranks. Comprised of Christian denominations, interfaith houses of worship, and community organizations, OFN connects the voices and efforts of many groups for meaningful results.

OFN and its mission continue to grow by nurturing relationships with the Interfaith community and community-based partners. We invite you to partner with us on this mission of faith, care, and justice.

We are pleased to announce new micro-grant opportunities for faith-based organizations to provide support for opioid and stimulant prevention and recovery, to include outreach, programs, and/or education addressing addiction. Grants will be awarded up to $5,000. These grants must fall into the following 2 categories: 

1.    Ministry-Based Grants

2.   Community Outreach Grants

Ministry-Based Grants:

These grants help faith-based organizations identify, equip, and support specific areas of ministry addressing substance use disorder within their community, the marketplace, and the world. These grants can be used to create a new ministry, expand an existing ministry, purchase or create resources to maintain a ministry or partner with other faith groups to launch interfaith ministries.

Community Outreach Grants:

These grants assist faith-based organizations in addressing substance use disorder in their local communities. Grants are issued to support the work of social and criminal justice, mentoring or youth engagement, substance abuse prevention, faith education and inclusion initiatives, community events and gatherings for the purpose of building strong communities.

DEADLINE FOR LETTERS OF INTENT: September 15

Inquiries:

Email Courtney Davis at cdavis@okfaith.org with the Subject Line: OFN Microgrant Opportunity—[Organization Name] and the following:

– Organization name, purpose & mission

– Identify the grant category 

– A description of the initiative

– The cost of the project

– Grant amount being sought

– Major sources of financial support (including that of your organization)

OFN will respond to your inquiry and, if your project is eligible for consideration, will send you a grant application form to complete. Organizations can apply once a year in each category.

The application form includes:

– Background Information

– Project Summary / Purpose of Grant

– Project Timeline

– Organization Involvement

– Project Budget

– Governing Board Members

– Organization’s Point of Contact

The Oklahoma faith network Opioid Summit for Communities of Faith

Now available on demand!

Faith communities are called to play a role in addressing the escalating opioid and stimulant crisis in Oklahoma. As you'll learn in this conference, this type of addiction hits people at any age, from any walk of life. Our communities are stronger when we support our friends, neighbors, and loved ones through life's struggles.

This virtual conference is designed for you to go through at your own pace, at your own convenience. We hope you will return to revisit some of the material, and that you share this information with your networks, as it will continue to be available (we ask for registration in order to keep track of attendees for grant purposes). The conference also includes an announcement about grant opportunities for faith communities to start a ministry - find out more here!

The conference includes:

- Panels on prevention, stigma, treatment, and how to support a loved one struggling with addiction

- Personal stories of addiction and recovery

- Programs and services available in Oklahoma

- How to access services and treatment from the comfort of your own home

We look forward to continuing the conversation around supporting addiction recovery within our faith communities!

Check out the Oklahoman's coverage of the conference.

Thanks to our partners in this effort:
Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services
Hope is Alive Ministries
Crossings Community Church
Valley Hope of Cushing
NorthCare

Why Is OFN Involved in Addressing Opioid and Stimulant Use?

In April 2019, OFN (then the Oklahoma Conference of Churches) partnered with the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services to begin an extensive program of outreach education and awareness on opioids, with stimulants added in 2022. The focus of this project is to equip churches and faith communities with the necessary information to understand the proper use of opioids and stimulants, the risks that come with their use, the proper storage of medication, and what to do if you suspect that someone in your family or community is at risk for an overdose. We hope that the outcome of this project will lead to more faith communities have important conversations around the topic of opioids, stimulants, and their use.

For more information about this project, contact us at info@okfaith.org.

The IMpact

Opioids are the most common class of drug involved in Oklahoma overdose deaths. In 2016, 54 percent of all overdose deaths in our state involved an opioid. That’s 437 Oklahomans! It’s a growing problem and one that is negatively impacting the lives of our families, communities and the entire state. It’s also a problem that we can do something about. We need a prescription for change in Oklahoma. It is up to all of us to be part of the solution and help prevent and treat the issue of opioid addiction.

Between 1999 and 2016, more than 10,000 Oklahomans died from a drug overdose.

• More than 6,500 of those deaths involved an opioid (including prescription and illicit drugs).

• In 2016, the number of overdose deaths involving opioids (including prescription opioids and illegal opioids like heroin and illicitly manufactured fentanyl) was 5 times higher than in 1999.

• On average, one Oklahoman dies every day from an opioid overdose.

Discover the startling statistics surrounding methamphetamine use, particularly in Oklahoma, compared to national averages. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, while 0.9% of the U.S. adult population aged 18 and above reported methamphetamine use from 2019 to 2020, Oklahoma's usage rate stands at 1.6%, almost double the national figure. Shockingly, between 2016 and 2020, Oklahoma witnessed a 45.5% surge in methamphetamine use among adults, surpassing the national increase rate since 2017.

These concerning trends are further exacerbated by the alarming rate of unintentional deaths attributed to psychostimulants, including methamphetamine, in Oklahoma. Data from the CDC reveals a staggering 13 unintentional deaths per 100,000 individuals in the state, exceeding the national rate of 9 per 100,000. Moreover, statistics from the Oklahoma State Department of Health depict a troubling 354% rise in unintentional methamphetamine overdoses per 100,000 people over the past decade.

These findings underscore the critical importance of raising awareness and implementing effective prevention strategies to combat the escalating methamphetamine crisis, safeguarding the well-being of individuals and communities in Oklahoma and beyond.

Who is at Risk?

Anyone who takes opioids is at risk for overdose or death and can become addicted. This includes all opioids, even if prescribed.

• Repeated use of opioids greatly increases the risk of developing an opioid use disorder.

• The use of illegal opiate drugs such as heroin and even prescribed opiate medications such as oxycodone and hydrocodone can have serious negative health effects.

• Overdose risk increases when you combine opioid use with:

  • Alcohol

  • Benzodiazepines (also known as “benzos,” including diazepam and alprazolam)

  • Other sedatives

  • Other opioids (prescription or illicit, including heroin)

Prevention

Avoid opioids Opioids come with serious risks. According to the CDC, there are safer approaches that are more effective for pain management. Ask your doctor for all available options to manage pain.

Never share Never share or use another person’s prescription opioids – it’s dangerous and illegal. Instead of helping, you may be putting yourself or someone else on a dangerous path.

Safeguard meds Keep opioid medications locked away to prevent theft, child poisoning and other harmful exposures. Monitor your medicines for missing or outdated pills. Don’t keep leftover medicine – dispose of them safely at a local medication drop box, mail-back program or use FDA recommended home disposal.

Carry Naloxone If you or someone you know takes opioids, they may be at risk for overdose. Get the Naloxone kit, keep it close and know the signs of emergency overdose.

Coping skills The benefits of learning and practicing healthy coping skills are many. These skills can help us better manage difficult circumstances, prevent or reduce distress and positively influence how we experience pain.

Talk early, often Young people who learn about drug harms at an early age are better protected from future problems than kids who don’t receive these messages. Have frequent conversations with your children and others – it’s not too early and it’s not too late.

RESOURCES

The National Institute of Mental Health reports a strong correlation between opioid use and suicide, citing several recent studies. In one study, people with a prescription opioid use disorder were also twice as likely to attempt suicide as individuals who did not misuse prescription opioids. This presents an additional emotional component to a community member’s death that can difficult to navigate. The Action Alliance provides guidance for faith leaders on caring for both their community and themselves.