Where The SocialCareRx Initiative Funds
We prioritize areas based on Overdose Rate, Poverty Level, Insurance Coverage.
Opioid overdose, poverty, and lack of health insurance are all significant public health issues that intersect in complex ways. Opioid use disorder and overdoses disproportionately affect individuals who live in poverty and lack access to healthcare.
Poverty is a significant risk factor for opioid use disorder.
- Poverty and low access to healthcare may increase the risk of opioid use disorder (OUD) and overdose. People living in poverty may be more likely to experience chronic pain, trauma and mental health conditions, which are all risk factors for opioid use disorder. They may also have limited access to healthcare, making it difficult for them to receive appropriate treatment for these conditions, and notably, alternative forms of pain management, such as physical therapy, leading to higher rates of opioid prescriptions.
- Opioid use disorder can lead to job loss and financial instability, further exacerbating poverty. This creates a vicious cycle in which poverty and lack of access to healthcare increase the risk of OUD and OUD in turn leads to greater poverty and lack of access to healthcare.
- Areas with higher rates of poverty and lower levels of education tend to have higher rates of opioid overdose and fewer treatment options.
- Policies that address poverty and income inequality such as increasing minimum wage, expanding social safety net programs and creating more job opportunities play a crucial role in reducing poverty, a major risk factors for OUD and overdose.
Lack of health insurance is a risk factor for opioid use disorder and overdose.
- Individuals without health insurance are less likely to receive preventive care and early intervention for OUD. They may also be less likely to have access to medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) which is considered the gold standard of care for OUD. Without access to MOUD individuals may return to opioids increasing the risk of overdose.
- States that did not expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) have higher rates of uninsured residents, particularly among low-income individuals and communities. Without access to affordable health care, these individuals may be more likely to struggle with poverty as a result.
- Low access to health care can also make it harder for individuals to secure and maintain employment, which can also contribute to poverty.
Areas with High Overdose Rate, High Poverty Level, Low Insurance Coverage
The intersection of opioid overdose, poverty, and low health insurance coverage affects many areas across the United States. The absence of a social safety net exacerbates their effect.
- Several areas in the Appalachian region* have been particularly affected by the opioid epidemic with some of the highest rates of opioid overdose deaths, high rates of poverty and low health insurance coverage.
- Many areas in the South have high rates of poverty and low health insurance coverage, and have also been affected by the opioid epidemic.
Based on current data, we place a high priority on applications from:
- West Virginia
- Kentucky
- Ohio
- Certain cities in Maryland and Virginia
These include
- Virginia: Bristol, Roanoke, Blacksburg, Wytheville, Galax, Norton, and Martinsville
- Maryland: Cumberland, Frostburg, Oakland, Hagerstown and others
We review applications outside these areas depending on funding availability.
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**The Appalachian Region, as defined in the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC)’s authorizing legislation, is a 205,000-square-mile region that spans the Appalachian Mountains from southern New York to northern Mississippi. It includes all of West Virginia and parts of 12 other states: Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, SouthCarolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. The Region includes 420 counties and 8 independent cities in 13 states and has a population of 25 million people.
The Appalachian Region spans the Appalachian Mountains from southern New York to northern Mississippi.
Join The SocialCareRx Initiative
SocialCareRx is an initiative of SocialHealthRx, a 501 (c) 3 non-profit entity. We believe people with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) deserve the dignity to choose for themselves how best to "bridge a gap". Paying for obligations they select enables that choice and can support recovery. SocialCareRx allows donors to see how they help "bridge a gap."
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