About START-SD

START-SD is a federal program funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) through four Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) grants to complete work to increase access to and effectiveness of prevention, treatment, and recovery services for substance use disorders in South Dakota.
Following the initial planning grant, START-SD has grown to become a three-pronged project: with focuses on support for opioid use disorder, support for psychostimulant use disorder, and overdose response. The START-SD work reaches six South Dakota counties, including Brookings, Yankton, Lyman, Roberts, Hughes, and Codington. Our goals are to 1. Slow the opioid epidemic and help impacted individuals and families get the care they need to thrive, and 2. Promote healthier coping strategies for and reduce morbidity and mortality associated with psychostimulant use disorder, and 3. Reduce morbidity and mortality associated with overdoses related to substance use through promotion of harm reduction and increasing access to treatment and recovery services through education, training, and placement of peer recovery coaches.
Resources for those in Brookings, Brown, Roberts, Hughes, and Codington Counties:
START-SD Projects Timeline

The START-SD Planning Grant was a Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) planning grant, awarded to South Dakota State University by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). Through the Planning Grant, the START-SD team successfully developed a multi-sector care network to optimize access to care for rural patients with opioid use disorder in South Dakota, with a focus on Yankton, Lyman, Roberts, and Hughes Counties.
START-SD Opioid Support is a Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) implementation grant, awarded to South Dakota State University by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). Through the Opioid Support work, the START-SD team has built upon the work completed through the Planning Grant to optimize access to prevention, treatment, and recovery services in rural areas to patients and families affected by substance use disorder, with a focus on opioid use disorders. Barriers this work address include stigma surrounding substance use disorder, lack of access to providers offering medication assisted treatment, and social determinants of health. Initial funding was secured through August 31, 2023, however the project period was extended to August 31, 2024 to most effectively utilize resources.
START-SD-PSS (Psychostimulant Support) Support is a Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) implementation grant, awarded to South Dakota State University by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). Through the Psychostimulant Support work, the START-SD team has built upon the work completed through the Planning Grant and the Opioid Support work to optimize access to prevention, treatment, and recovery services in rural areas to patients and families affected by psychostimulant use disorder. Facilitators to completion of treatment and maintaining recovery include incentive programs for attending appointments and having negative drug screens, exercise, and peer coaching support. Barriers to implementing these facilitators include current lack of funding for incentives and exercise programs, lack of culturally appropriate programs and training for peer coaching, and avoidance of treatment due to stigma.
START-SD-OR (Overdose Response) Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) implementation grant, awarded to South Dakota State University by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). Through the Overdose Response work, the START-SD team will build upon work completed through the planning grant, the Opioid Support work, and the Psychostimulant Support work to reduce morbidity and mortality associated with overdoses related to substance use among adults aged 18-54 through promotion of harm reduction strategies, education and training with healthcare facilities to improve treatment, and increasing access to treatment and recovery services through education, training, and placement of peer coaches.
Learn more
Fighting stigma and understanding addiction
Many people don’t realize that drug addiction is a complex disease that can affect anyone. To learn more, visit:
Resources for those struggling with substance use disorder
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance use disorder, there are resources to receive help. Visit the South Dakota helpline center website or call the hotline at 1-800-920-4343
START-SD News
Project Manuscripts
Funding Statement
This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $1,500,000 with 100% percentage funded by HRSA/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA/HHS or the U.S. Government.More Information
Program Director
Erin Miller
Interim Center Director, Community Practice Innovation Center (CPIC), Assistant Professor, Department of Allied and Population Health
Department of Allied and Population Health
Community Practice Innovation Center
College of Pharmacy & Allied Health Professions
SDSU - Sioux Falls
Faculty
Jeremy Daniel
Associate Professor
College of Pharmacy & Allied Health Professions
Department of Pharmacy Practice
Community Practice Innovation Center
Patricia Ahmed
Assistant Professor
School of Psychology, Sociology and Rural Studies
Community Practice Innovation Center
Christopher Robbins
Assistant Professor
Department of Allied and Population Health
Community Practice Innovation Center
Stephanie Hanson
Population Health Instructor
Department of Allied and Population Health
Community Practice Innovation Center
Support Team
Irene Arango Gomez
Community Care Coordinator
Department of Allied and Population Health
Community Practice Innovation Center
College of Pharmacy & Allied Health Professions
Jacob Ford
Research Communications Coordinator
College of Pharmacy & Allied Health Professions
Community Practice Innovation Center