Utah State University Extension received a $175,000 grant from the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) 2019 Distance Learning and Telemedicine program. Maren Voss, a Utah State University Extension professor in Tooele, teamed up with Alyson Straquadine, a USU grant writer, and Kevin Reeve, director of Teaching & Learning Technology (TLT), to write the grant.

Shane Thomas, director of Classroom & Media Production, worked with technicians throughout Statewide Campuses to identify equipment needs. The chosen locations are in three key counties on the USDA opioid list. The funds will update curriculum and cover the cost of new equipment in several locations in USU’s Statewide Campuses with the goal of providing more resources to rural communities for opioid prevention, treatment, and recovery. Statewide Campuses and Academic & Instructional Services will provide the infrastructure for the IVC broadcasts.