BIG SPRING – West Texas Centers has been selected to participate in the 2025-2026 Reaching Rural: Advancing Collaborative Solutions fellowship initiative, which is co-sponsored by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice, and the State Justice Institute. The initiative will support our community’s work to address the overdose crisis that has disproportionately affected rural communities across America.
The West Texas Centers Reaching Rural Fellowship will be led by Tyler Sheppard, Ph.D., West Texas Centers Interim Director of Behavioral Health.
“We are thrilled that Dr. Sheppard will assist West Texas Centers and the initiative to improve the health of the communities in our 23-county catchment area,” West Texas Centers CEO Rodney Jones said.
“As a community, we are facing the devastating impact of the opioid epidemic head-on. Every life lost is a heartbreaking reminder that this crisis touches every family, every neighborhood, and every one of us,” Jones said. “Through the Reaching Rural fellowship program, our team will have the opportunity to learn new strategies and bring ideas back to our communities, so we can strengthen our commitment to invest in prevention, expand access to treatment, and support those on the path to recovery.”
West Texas Centers was selected through a competitive application process. The 2025-2026 fellows class reflects a diverse network of professionals representing 60 rural communities in 14 states. The fellows include elected county leaders, county and tribal judges, law enforcement officers, prosecutors, public defenders, public health and behavioral health practitioners, emergency management professionals, reentry coordinators and individuals working in community nonprofits.
Throughout the year-long initiative, the team will meet monthly, virtually and in-person, with experts and other communities to examine local and regional challenges and identify opportunities to serve justice-involved individuals with substance use or co-occurring disorders more effectively in our community.
For more information on the Reaching Rural Initiative, please, visit here: https://reachingrural.cossup.org/.
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