State Opioid Abatement Projects

Roundtables

Collaboration, Engagement, Advancing Health and Well-being, and Strategic Partnerships

When community stakeholders gather in a roundtable format, they contribute to a shared space where public agencies, academic partners, service providers, residents, and local leaders can engage in open dialogue, identify pressing public health challenges, and co-create evidence-informed strategies that promote healthy communities. These discussions not only strengthen relationships across sectors but also help translate community insights into action, support coordinated outreach efforts, and build collective capacity to address complex health and social issues. By emphasizing collaboration, engagement, and shared visioning, roundtables can help shape healthier futures and foster sustained community impact.

Community Grantees

Working collaboratively with community grantees supported through Tennessee State Opioid Abatement funds strengthens local capacity to address the opioid crisis through prevention, treatment, recovery, and harm reduction efforts. By providing technical assistance, fostering cross-sector partnerships, and promoting data-driven strategies, we help ensure that funded initiatives align with state priorities while remaining responsive to local needs. Ongoing engagement with grantees encourages shared learning, accountability, and the exchange of best practices, allowing communities to implement evidence-based approaches that reduce overdose deaths, expand access to services, and support long-term recovery. Through strategic coordination and continuous evaluation, these partnerships maximize the impact of opioid abatement resources and contribute to healthier, more resilient Tennessee communities.

Stigma and Overdose Prevention

Building Awareness, Reducing Stigma, and Strengthening Community

CHHS OPSR and other campus partners hosted a community book club centered on The Least of Us by Sam Quinones that created an opportunity for thoughtful dialogue about substance abuse, recovery, and the broader systems impacting individuals and families. The book’s exploration of synthetic drugs and community response provides a foundation for meaningful discussion about prevention, resilience, and collective responsibility. Incorporating a stigma education component into the book club helps participants examine how language, bias, and misconceptions about substance use disorders can create barriers to treatment and recovery. By fostering open conversation and promoting person-first language, the book club can increase awareness, reduce stigma, and encourage a more compassionate, informed approach to addressing substance use in our community.

This project is funded under a Grant Contract with the Tennessee Opioid Abatement Council.