In the October 2022–September 2023 grant year, the Opioid Response Network (ORN) expanded existing community collaboration efforts to convene regional summits in each of the 10 HHS regions. Altogether, ORN convened 38 summits with a total of 1,623 participants. Great Lakes HHS Region 5 hosted four of these summits. The first summit was held in Indianapolis in April 2023 with a focus on promoting collaboration and utilization of technical assistance (TA) at the state agency level for each state in HHS Region 5 (IL, IN, OH, MI, MN, WI). The second brought together eight rural organizations, two tribes, and four TA centers of excellence (COEs) in Onamia, MN in early June. The third took place in mid-August in partnership with the Northeast Ohio Recovery Association (NORA) in Cleveland and featured new and emerging recovery community organizations. The fourth and final regional summit hosted by HHS Region 5 took place in Indianapolis in early September 2023, and this event looked at the intersection of criminal justice and recovery housing organizations. In the 2024 grant cycle, the HHS Region 5 ORN hopes to host five more regional summits within the Great Lakes states. 

Participants of the regional summits have expressed how informative and beneficial it was to be able to meet in person with our partners, learn from each other's work, and share our plans and strategies for the future. We look forward to connecting again next year through the regional ORN summits, and we are more motivated than ever to bring much-needed TA to those we serve.