The "Recovery to the Rescue" (RTTR) project is a life-saving initiative that addresses critical gaps in the response to the overdose epidemic. By providing immediate post-overdose support, empowering individuals to seek help, reducing stigma, and offering harm reduction supplies, RTTR will significantly impact the lives of individuals struggling with substance use disorders (SUD) and contribute to efforts to combat the opioid crisis. The Never Alone Clubhouse (NAC) will build a mobile peer support team to provide a comprehensive approach to reducing opioid overdose deaths and repeat overdose cycles through timely intervention, provision of NAC Care Pouches, follow-up support, harm reduction strategies, access to Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT), and wrap around services.
Timely Intervention: The NAC will deploy certified peer specialists (CPS) to emergency departments (ED) and community settings where overdoses occur. When possible, a CPS will engage with overdose survivors immediately after an overdose, offering empathetic, non-judgmental support. By sharing their own experiences, the CPS demonstrates that recovery is possible. This immediate connection is crucial for motivating individuals to consider treatment and support options. When on-site connection is not an option,  Medical Services will distribute the NAC care pouches anytime NARCAN is administered for an overdose. 
NAC Care Pouches: The RTTR team will design and assemble NAC care pouches for the EMS to distribute after administering NARCAN. The pouches will contain a prepaid cellphone with 60 minutes prepaid, a NAC card with peer support contact information, a QR code linking to NAC, informational materials about medication-assisted treatment (MAT), overdose prevention, and harm reduction strategies. 
Follow-Up and Continued Engagement with Wrap-Around Services: After the initial intervention, a CPS will maintain contact with individuals, offering ongoing support, and guidance as they navigate the recovery process. Continuous engagement is vital for sustaining motivation and preventing relapse. Utilizing motivational interviewing, a CPS will empower individuals to make positive changes in their lives, exploring their own motivations for recovery, setting goals, and developing a sense of autonomy and self-efficacy. The CPS will describe treatment options including recovery coaching, behavioral health support, out-patient treatment, residential treatment, and MAT as options for overdose survivors.
Mobile Harm Reduction Unit: NAC van is mobile outreach and harm reduction services. NAC will collaborate with DPH to obtain access to overdose data, including locations and demographics, then analyze data to identify clusters or "hotspots" of opioid overdoses within Douglas County & Carroll County. The RTTR team will develop a schedule and route plan for the van to visit identified overdose hotspots and high-risk areas within Douglas County & Carroll County, offering on-site harm reduction services, including: 
•    RTTR will distribute naloxone kits to individuals at risk of overdose, their families, and community members, along with training on how to use the kits effectively.
•    In addition to naloxone, RTTR will provide other harm reduction supplies, such as clean needles, syringes, and fentanyl test strips to reduce the risk of infections, transmission of diseases, and accidental overdoses.
•    The RTTR team will offer comprehensive education on harm reduction practices, delivered through workshops, informational materials, and one-on-one interactions with peer support specialists.
The Recovery to the Rescue (RTTR) project is designed to address several critical issues in the current response to the opioid overdose epidemic, focusing on the immediate aftermath of an overdose. The period immediately following an overdose is a critical window for intervention. Individuals who survive an opioid overdose often find themselves in a cycle of repeated overdoses and visits to the ED, because the absence of intervention within the first 24 hours significantly increases the likelihood of repeated overdoses. Patients are discharged without a clear plan for addressing their substance use, resulting in missed opportunities to guide individuals toward recovery when they are most open to seeking help. Emergency departments lack the resources, protocols, or staff necessary to ensure that overdose survivors are connected to appropriate SUD services before they leave. This gap leads to a disconnection between the immediate medical response and the long-term care needed to prevent further substance use. Once discharged from the ED, individuals receive little to no follow-up care. There is no coordinated system in place to provide ongoing support and ensure continuity of care. Individuals at risk of overdose do not have access to essential harm reduction resources, such as naloxone, clean needles, and fentanyl test strips, which increases the risk of fatal overdoses. The care systems currently in place for addressing opioid overdoses and SUD are often fragmented and uncoordinated. Patients frequently fall through the cracks due to a lack of integrated service.  RTTR fills these gaps by providing immediate peer support, reducing the risk of subsequent overdoses, 911 calls, and ED visits, while also providing harm reduction resources and education. By intervening quickly and maintaining ongoing support, RTTR aims to break the cycle of repeated overdoses and ED visits.