July 31, 2021
RE: Colorado Cares, Terri Schreiber Research Group Testimonial
To Whom It May Concern:
I am writing this letter to express Otero County Health Department’s (OCHD) full support of the Terri Schreiber Research Group’s (TSRG) for Colorado Gives dollars.
OCHD has been privileged to partner with TSRG and Pueblo County Public Health on a one-year HRSA planning grant to reduce opioid misuse and overdoses locally. TSRG was the backbone of this grant as they produced a Community Needs Assessment and Gaps Analysis specific to Otero and Crowley Counties. Their work provided an in-depth look into opioid misuse in our community as well as a road map for prevention and reduction over time. It cannot be overstated that the work TSRG has done to assist not just our health department but the community at large would absolutely not have been possible otherwise. We are a rural community with extremely limited resources – especially around data collection and analysis. TSRG’s attention to detail, eagerness to understand our community and willingness to provide a service that simply is not available locally was much needed, appreciated and is already being utilized to save lives in our community.
The Community Needs Assessment and Gaps Analysis acts as the backbone of our opioid work in Otero and Crowley Counties. From TSRG’s findings, our community coalition developed a 3-year strategic plan to address opioid misuse locally. We are eager to see what the next few years brings and continually grateful to TSRG for providing us with the foundational work to better understand how to help our community and prevent further deaths from opioid overdose.
Please accept Otero County Health Department’s passionate support of TSRG’s during Colorado Gives fundraising and reach out if you have further questions.
Thank you,
Kristin Carpenter
CTC Program Director
Otero County Health Department
719-469-0401