June 21, 2023

Contact Tonya Wagner at 608-796-3081 or tmwagner@viterbo.edu

VITERBO UNIVERSITY AWARDED $1.4 MILLION HRSA INTEGRATED SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER TRAINING PROGRAM GRANT

LA CROSSE, Wis. – Viterbo University has been awarded a $1.4 million Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) RESPOND program grant to expand the number of nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and counselors trained to provide mental health and substance use disorder clinical services in underserved community-based settings.

The grant award is $282,569 per year for up to five years. Viterbo University will implement the RESPOND initiative through its Center for Professional Learning and graduate nursing and counselor education programs in partnership with Scenic Bluffs Community Health Centers, Gunderson Health System, Addiction Medical Solutions, and other health care providers. The service area will be primarily rural areas in southwestern Wisconsin.

“We are delighted to have the opportunity to partner with local health care organizations to deliver impactful training to medical professionals that honors the dignity of those struggling with substance use and helps them find a path forward,” said Tonya Wagner, Viterbo vice president for academic affairs and institutional effectiveness.

RESPOND administrators will plan, develop, and operate a 12-month, full-time program that provides a combination of didactic, experiential, and practical training over a five-year grant performance period of July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2028.

Full details about the grant can be found at https://www.hrsa.gov/grants/find-funding/HRSA-23-090. 

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