Emily Bunnell
Pronouns: she/her
Research Mentor(s): Aaron Rubio, President
Research Mentor School/College/Department: United Community Addiction Network,
Presentation Date: Thursday, April 22, 2021
Session: Session 2 (11am – 11:50am)
Breakout Room: Room 6
Presenter: 4
Abstract
The United Community Addiction Network or UCAN is a community organization based in Genesee County, Michigan that is working to evolve the way addiction is addressed and treated. The project “A Deeper Look into the World of Addiction” sought to aid the planning, development, and implementation of a new treatment program combining community and clinical services for a pathway to recovery. The focus of the new program is to use evidence based practices in order to treat co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders more effectively. Some evidence based practices include consumer-driven treatment, family and community involvement, and having cross-trained specialists. Alongside the development of a new addiction treatment program, UCAN’s other initiatives work to instill lasting change by including medical examiners, emergency responders, local law enforcement, and a new K-9 unit that aims to identify substances for a drug-free environment. In a coordinated effort with community members, UCAN aims to see the implementation of a co-occuring disorder facility as well as other initiatives to be replicated across the state, country, and around the world.
Authors: Emily Bunnell, Aaron Rubio
Research Method: Community Based Research
