Stephanie Rose
The University of Central Arkansas was recently awarded over $202,000 in opioid settlement dollars from the Arkansas Opioid Recovery Partnership (ARORP). This funding will be used to establish and operate a peer support and recovery specialist program at UCA and within Faulkner County, Conway and surrounding areas.
The two-year funding started July 1 and runs to July 1, 2026.
“The purpose of the proposed program is to empower community members, including families and college students to understand the impact of opioids, treatment options, proper use of Naloxone and the Revive AR app, as well as ways to support prevention and recovery interventions,” said Stephanie Rose, program director of UCA’s addiction studies program. Rose is the principal investigator and will oversee the peer support and recovery specialists.
The peer recovery specialist program will consist of two peer support and recovery specialists and graduate-level interns who will oversee and implement educational activities including prevention, treatment and recovery for clients in Conway and Faulkner County. Program specialists will work through the UCA Cares Clinic, which currently provides holistic care including physical therapy, occupational therapy, behavioral health and more. The program partnership also includes the Conway Police Department’s Community Crisis Response Team (CCRT).
Peer support and recovery specialists will work with UCA addiction studies students to provide Self-Management and Recovery Training (SMART) Recovery Groups, which utilize Motivational Interviewing and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. One-on-one sessions will also be provided. Clients will also be able to use the other clinic services that are offered, which will assist in treating the client from a holistic and individualized approach. Community interventions, including mobile services for crises, will also be provided.
“We at the Conway Police Department are thrilled to be able to partner with Dr. Rose and UCA in this unique opportunity to better serve our community. Our Community Crisis Response Teams are very excited to have this added resource to partner with as we interact with and attempt to assist those struggling with addiction,” said Lt. Andrew Johnson, wellness program coordinator and CCRT program coordinator, Conway Police Department.
The intended service population for the program includes college students who struggle with substance misuse or abuse, as well as clients who are discharged from Conway Regional Medical Center’s Substance Abuse Treatment and Detox Unit.
ABOUT THE ARKANSAS OPIOID RECOVERY PARTNERSHIP
The Arkansas Opioid Recovery Partnership (ARORP), an initiative of the Association of Arkansas Counties and the Arkansas Municipal League, represents a network of organizations committed to providing support for Arkansans in recovery, neighbors suffering from a substance misuse disorder and families who have experienced loss due to the opioid epidemic. The Partnership oversees the strategic disbursement of opioid settlement dollars at the city and county levels. Learn more at www.arorp.org.
