Grantee Projects

Boone County applied for Category 1c rural/tribal area grant funding in the amount of $599,000. The Boone County Support Outreach Recovery Team will to fill the identified need for a community law enforcement officer to work with the individuals who have been arrested and fill the identified need for an addiction counselor to work with the county’s jailed population. The second purpose of this program is to fill the identified need for an addiction counselor who will work as a recovery coach with Boone County’s jailed population. This individual will deliver services such as moral reconation therapy and substance abuse counseling. This project serves Boone County, Illinois (population 53,606). The project includes partnerships between the Boone County Health Department, the multidisciplinary team, the Rosecrance, and the Belvidere Police Department.

The North Chicago Police Department will establish the New Beginnings Community Resource Center that is accessible 24 hours a day to North Chicago residents (population of 32,574) and the Lake County citizenry (population of 703,520). This community resource center will be staffed by licensed social workers, substance abuse clinicians, and a crime data analyst. The licensed social workers will specialize in the following areas: drug counseling, victim’s assistance, opioid addiction services, nonprofit charities, career training, and immigration support. The resource center will provide information for the following: drug rehabilitation services, fact sheets on opioid addictions, drug use safety, support groups, counseling programs, career training and financial assistance, schedules of public transportation, childcare assistance, and job placement. This community gathering place will also assist victims of domestic violence, violent crimes, and human trafficking and financially needy families. As such, planting a community development center inside of the police department will immediately reduce drug-related crimes within the City of North Chicago.

Through this funding, Cook County Health will (1) convene the Cook County Community Recovery Learning and Action Network to address recovery housing capacity and coordination; (2) begin development of a real-time, regional recovery housing information system, including collection, analysis, and dissemination across partners; (3) with partners, conduct a feasibility study for a low barrier, harm reduction and recovery-oriented, transitional housing model for justice-involved individuals with SUD to address gaps in the current recovery housing landscape. Work towards a pilot in years 2 and 3; and (4) support recovery home beds and recovery support services for corrections-involved individuals. This project serves Cook County, Illinois, which has 5.2 million residents. The project includes partnerships with transitional and recovery housing providers, substance use treatment providers, criminal justice partners, state agencies, community-based partners, and public health organizations. Priority considerations addressed in this application include high-poverty areas, and this project will offer enhancements to public safety in economically distressed communities (Qualified Opportunity Zones).

The Indiana County Leaders Collaboration for Change (ICLCC) will establish and/or build upon existing collaborative relationships between first responders, the criminal justice system, child welfare and foster care, behavioral health, primary care and addiction service providers to identify, develop (or) enhance, and implement specific countywide programs designed to reduce the impact of opioids, stimulants, and other substances on individuals and communities. The counties will achieve this by developing (or) enhancing and implementing one or more of the following within their county: Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) model programs (new to Indiana), prebooking or postbooking treatment alternative-to-incarceration programs, education and prevention programs to connect law enforcement in schools, embed social services with law enforcement to rapidly respond to drug overdoses where children are impacted, and expand access to evidence-based treatment and recovery support services across the criminal justice system. This project serves individuals across Knox, Wayne, Fayette, Floyd, Clark, Allen, and Madison counties. The project includes partnerships between the Division of Mental Health and Addiction and seven county coalitions. Priority considerations addressed in this application include rural, high-poverty, and economically distressed regions.

The Purchase District Health Department applied for Category 1b suburban area grant funding in the amount of $900,000. The Purchase District Health Department program will implement a coordinated response to illicit opioids, psychostimulants, and counterfeit prescription drugs in Purchase. Four types of activities will be implemented: (1) provide naloxone for law enforcement and other first responders; (2) establish law enforcement and other first responder diversion programs; (3) conduct comprehensive, real-time, regional information collection, analysis, and dissemination; and (4) provide recovery support services, including recovery housing and peer recovery support services. This project serves eight counties totaling 196,563 people in western Kentucky. The project includes partnerships between law enforcement, first responders, and public health agencies who are active members of the Purchase Area Health Connections Opioid Task Force.

St. Tammany Parish will develop an information system to analyze and track the opioid client population across justice system and health intercepts in order to reduce cases of overdose and increase treatment and recovery service access. Key partners for this project include the 22nd Judicial District Court, the Safe Haven Advisory Board, St. Tammany Parish Hospital, the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office and Jail, and the District Attorney’s Office.

The City of Holyoke Police Department (HPD) applied for Category 1c rural/tribal area grant funding in the amount of $597,650. Project ERASE (Expansion of Recovery from Addiction to Substances Efforts) will implement a multicomponent intervention program designed to (1) support individuals with opioid, stimulant, and other illicit substance issues with interventions to reduce addictions and associated mental health needs, (2) reduce overdoses and overdose deaths through prevention and intervention strategies, and (3) reduce substance-related crime in Holyoke. This project serves Behavioral Health Network and Gandara, the Holyoke Police Department, Hampden County Sheriff, Holyoke Probation, and research partners. The project includes partnerships between the House of Corrections to provide detox treatment options and develop a law enforcement liaison between HPD, the courts, and probation personnel. Priority considerations addressed in this application include a high-poverty area and enhanced public safety in Qualified Opportunity Zones.

The Lowell Police Department is proposing to enhance and expand the Community Opioid-Outreach Program team (Lowell Police, Fire, Health, Trinity EMS, Lowell House) by adding a youth services coordinator to focus on the needs of children affected by the opioid epidemic, two outreach specialists to expand service to the homeless community by serving as a liaison between agencies to improve communication and connect their various resources, and conduct pro-active outreach to any individuals with substance use disorder before an overdose. Grant funds will support a coordinator, crime analyst, full-time clinical recovery specialist and youth services coordinator, outreach recovery specialist and research team. University of Massachusetts Lowell will serve as the research team comprised of researchers from Center for Community Research & Engagement, School of Criminology and Justice Studies, and Community Health and Sustainability.

Newburyport Police Department (NPD) in Massachusetts, one of the founding departments of the Essex County Outreach Program, proposes to expand the outreach program to encompass all of Essex County. The Essex County Outreach Program is a series of stigma-free entry points to treatment on demand. The program supports nonarrest or early diversion program models that reach people before they enter the criminal justice system. The program supports multiple law enforcement entry points to treatment, including self-referrals to the stations. Cross-sector collaboration and partnerships are key to the program’s success which is supported by clinicians, social workers, recovery coaches, and trained volunteers.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, dba Middlesex Sheriff’s Office, applied for a Category 1a urban area grant in the amount of $1,152,729. The Involving Families in Treatment of Inmates with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) Project will reduce opioid overdose deaths and improve treatment outcomes for inmates with opioid use disorder by providing naloxone to family members and involving them in treatment. Through an enhancement of the Medication-Assisted Treatment and Directed Opioid Recovery (MATADOR) Program — which provides naltrexone, buprenorphine, methadone, and case management services — the proposed project activities include: (1) development and implementation of naloxone trainings and naloxone distribution for family members of inmates with OUD; (2) provision of a comprehensive family services program for inmates with substance use disorders, including outreach to engage families in the project, educational programs for families on substance use disorder, family counseling, and support groups, and (3) an evaluation of the project’s impact in improving treatment outcomes and reducing the risk of overdose deaths. This project serves Middlesex County, located in northeastern Massachusetts. Middlesex County, the most populous county in New England, has 1.6 million residents. The project includes partnership with Brandeis University. Priority considerations addressed in this application include a high rate of primary treatment admissions for heroin or other opioids and high rates of overdose deaths.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Sheriff’s Department Hampden applied for a Category 1b suburban area grant in the amount of $900,000. Hampden County Sheriff’s Department’s All Inclusive Support Service Program will reduce opioid-related overdoses and related fatalities. The program will take a multipronged approach to (1) enhance a database in Hampden County that will allow for the collection, analysis, and dissemination of comprehensive, real-time overdose information, and (2) implement a law enforcement, first responder-driven multidisciplinary overdose prevention, response, and diversion referral model known as the Rapid Response and Connection Program. This project serves Hampden County, Massachusetts, which has a population of 470,406. The project includes partnerships between the Hampden County Sheriff’s Department, Office of the District Attorney, Baystate Medical Center, Trinity Health Mercy Medical Center, local law enforcement entities, and other established community partners. Priority considerations addressed in project include the disproportionate impact from substance use on a rural, high-poverty census tract and public safety impact in Qualified Opportunity Zones.

The Franklin County Sheriff’s Department applied for Category 1c rural/tribal area grant funding in the amount of $600,000. The Community Opportunity, Network, Navigation, Exploration, and Connection Team (CONNECT) will provide real-time assistance to individuals who survived, witnessed, or are at risk of an opioid overdose (e.g., family, family drug court participants, children, and community members). Team members will make in-person follow-up visits within 72 hours to individuals who survived or witnessed an opioid overdose, including affected children, to assess health, behavioral, and social needs. In addition, team members will connect individuals to community-based behavioral health, treatment, and recovery support services, while ensuring that opioid overdose survivors and witnesses navigate care across the criminal justice, human services, and educational systems. The program will expand Naloxone availability and appropriate use by first responders and law enforcement personnel, focusing on Naloxone deserts, and establish a system that offers real-time data collection, analysis, and dissemination of key data points to reduce opioid-related deaths. This project serves 87,130 residents in 30 communities spanning two rural counties in Western Massachusetts. The project includes partnerships between research scientists Pamela Kelley and Dr. Sean Varano and other community stakeholders representing law enforcement, the peer recovery community, harm reduction, courts, housing, and other basic human needs sectors.

The Trial Court of Massachusetts, on behalf of six states (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont), will establish a New England Regional Judicial Opioid Initiative (RJOI). This project will support comprehensive cross-system planning and collaboration among officials who work in multiple justice and justice related settings while staying focused on the judiciary and judiciary stakeholders (e.g. law enforcement, pre-trial services, the courts, probation and parole, child welfare, reentry, prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs), and emergency medical services, as well as health-care providers, public health partners, and agencies that provide substance use disorder treatment and recovery support services). The New England RJOI will also develop and enhance public safety, behavioral health, and public health information-sharing partnerships that leverage key public health and public safety data sets and implement interventions based on this information. The project will have a researcher and is presently completing contract negotiations for these services.

The Town of East Bridgewater applied for Category 1a urban area grant funding in the amount of $1,200,000. Plymouth County Outreach (PCO) will enhance the current PCO model in three ways: (1) creating a reentry support system for those returning from the Plymouth County House of Corrections with identified substance use disorders; (2) developing hotspot-targeted outreach to areas experiencing disproportionately high overdose rates; (3) expanding the harm-reduction toolkit distributed during post-overdose home visits to include items related to opioids and stimulants, including naloxone. This project serves Plymouth County, which has a population of 521,202. The project includes partnerships between 27 municipal police departments in Plymouth County, as well as the Bridgewater State University Police Department, Plymouth County District Attorney and Sheriff’s offices, as well as all local hospitals and treatment facilities. Priority considerations addressed in this application include a high rate of overdose deaths in a persistent poverty area.

The Seekonk Police Department is applying for Category 1 funding in the amount of $798,156. The Bristol County Outreach Opioid Intervention/Mental Health Program is a law enforcement-led post-overdose outreach collaboration among eight towns in Bristol County that will facilitate access to treatment for individuals struggling with substance use disorder, as well as support for their families and friends. The program includes hiring a project coordinator/clinician and a recovery specialist to support the eight-town coalition of police departments in their efforts to provide post overdose/referral recovery support services to individuals experiencing non-fatal overdoses and those determined to be at risk for overdose. Outreach teams will conduct post-overdose home visits within 72 hours of an overdose to offer access to treatment. Outreach will also include distribution of harm reduction tool kits including naloxone. All eight towns currently use countywide overdose/referral tracking software called the Critical Incident Management System (CIMS), which tracks all fatal and non-fatal overdoses, shares data among law enforcement agencies, and documents post-overdose follow-up. The project serves the towns of Dighton, Easton, Fairhaven, Mansfield, Rehoboth, Seekonk, and Somerset in Bristol County, which have an aggregate population of 136,738. The project includes partnerships between the municipal police departments in Dighton, Easton, Fairhaven, Mansfield, Rehoboth, Seekonk, and Somerset. The project will engage Kelley Research Associates as a research partner. Priority considerations addressed in this application include a high rate of primary treatment admissions for heroin, opioids, and stimulants; high rates of overdose deaths; and a lack of accessibility to treatment providers and facilities.

The St. Mary’s County Health Department (SMCHD) is applying for a Category 1 award in the amount of $899,963. The St. Mary’s County Day Reporting Center project will provide community-based services and treatment to offenders under parole/probation in St. Mary’s County, Maryland. The offenders will live at home and report to the center on a daily basis. While at the center, the offenders receive various services including substance misuse counseling, anger management, moral reconation therapy, parenting skills, relapse prevention, mental health coordination, job skills, case management, educational classes, life skills, after-care planning, and touch-ups. This project serves a population of roughly 113,510 individuals in St. Mary's County. The project includes partnerships between SMCHD and St. Mary's County Detention and Rehabilitation Center (SMCDRC).

The County of Cumberland applied for Category 1b suburban area grant funding in the amount of $899,824. The Bridges for ME: Person-Centered Recovery and Reentry Project will focus on the development of an advisory council with at least five community partners and memorandums of understanding with five diverse treatment providers and annual screenings of 1,200 people for SUD/OUD conditions, while offering of 600 people resource referrals and naloxone. The project will also provide an annual provision of group support and reintegration planning to 200 people in jail, as well as intensive reentry services for 150 individuals receiving community service, including MAT and peer navigator services for 60 days. This project serves Cumberland County, population 281,674. The project includes partnerships between Cumberland County Jail, Maine Pretrial Services, Co-occurring Collaborative Serving Maine, Amistad, SMART, Maine Department of Corrections Probation, Portland Police Department, MAT providers Catholic Charities Maine, Spurwink Adult Behavioral Health Services, Maine Behavioral Healthcare IMAT, Northern Light Portland Internal Medicine, and Discovery House. Priority considerations addressed in this application include Cumberland County as a region disproportionately impacted by substance abuse.

The Detroit Police Department’s Opioid Abuse Diversion Program will create and implement a law enforcement-led pre- and post-arrest diversion in Detroit using the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) model. The School of Criminal Justice at Michigan State University will serve as the research partner for the proposed project. The applicant agreed to provide data through the Overdose Detection Mapping Application Program (ODMAP).

The Michigan State Police, in partnership with the University of Michigan, will develop and pilot Community Overdose Assessment Teams (COATs) in up to three counties. The purpose of a COAT will be to review each overdose to identify causes and incidences of opioid overdose deaths within the selected sites, identify risk factors and gaps in the systems, develop recommendations to agencies of each local COAT to prevent future deaths, and provide recommendations to the state on how to address the epidemic, such as changes to laws or regulations.

The City of Duluth applied for Category 1b suburban area grant funding in the amount of $899,055. The City of Duluth FY 2020 COSSAP Lake Superior Diversion and Substance Use Response Team Project will improve community outreach to overdose events by expanding outreach efforts to those with amphetamine-related substance use disorders and those who experience amphetamine-related overdoses. The program will reduce barriers between outreach contact and treatment, and maintain or expand current opioid response functions. This project serves St. Louis, Carlton, and Lake counties in Minnesota, as well as the city of Superior in Wisconsin. This region has a population of approximately 289,727 people. The project includes partnerships between St. Louis County Public Health and Human Services, St. Louis County Drug Court, and the Center for Alcohol and Drug Treatment. Priority considerations addressed in this application include Qualified Opportunity Zones.

The City of Duluth is applying for a Category 1 award in the amount of $899,982. The Substance Use Response Team of the City of Duluth Police Department’s Lake Superior Drug and Violent Crime Task Force (LSDVCTF) proposes a program model that would expand upon the services it currently provides, allow for the program to assist more individuals regardless of drug of choice, and shorten times between overdose events and contact from the team, thereby allowing for quicker access to treatment. This project serves the entire LSDVCTF region, which includes St. Louis, Carlton, and Lake Counties in Minnesota, as well as the city of Superior in Wisconsin. This entire region has a total population of 288,732. The project includes partnerships between St. Louis County Public Health and Human Services, St. Louis County Drug Court, the Center for Alcohol and Drug Treatment, and SOAR Career Solutions. This project will engage Dr. Jeff Maahs from the University of Minnesota Duluth as the research partner for this project. Priority considerations addressed in this application include services and referrals in designated Qualified Opportunity Zones.

The City of St. Paul applied for Category 1b suburban area grant funding in the amount of $412,125. The Recovery Access Program (RAP) will include embedded social workers provided by People Incorporated to respond to drug overdoses where children are affected. A police officer will be assigned to RAP to assist the proposed investigator with the Naloxone Plus Model and Drug Surveillance Program. The St. Paul Police Department (SPPD) proposes to use these funds to include an investigator to act as a liaison between the police, treatment facilities, and community resources, as well as to serve as an advocate for drug courts or other measures in place of incarceration when appropriate. Funds will also be used to hire an internal SPPD data analyst to collect and manage program performance and evaluation data for the purposes of program improvement and program sustainability beyond grant funding. This project serves the city of St. Paul’s population of about 310,000 individuals. The project includes partnerships with the University of Wisconsin-Madison Population Health Institute. Priority considerations addressed in this application include Qualified Opportunity zones and high-poverty area.

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension will create a drug monitoring initiative within the Minnesota Fusion Center. Key partners include local, state, federal, and tribal public safety and public health agencies, including the Minnesota Prescription Monitoring Program (MNPMP), Minnesota Department of Health, Department of Human Services, and Minnesota Poison Control.

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS) will support the “Timely Treatment, Strengthened Service, and Effective Evaluation for Overdose Prevention: Linkage to Care Across Minnesota” project to achieve the following objectives in eight sites: • Reduce opioid misuse and opioid overdose death by supporting local efforts to implement effective opioid overdose prevention projects. • Support local efforts to implement treatment and recovery support linkage activities serving individuals vulnerable for drug overdose. • Support implementation of local multidisciplinary intervention models to bring together stakeholders with different perspectives and different information to identify drug overdose prevention strategies. • Enhance access to naloxone among people who use drugs to decrease overdose deaths. • Enhance successful local multidisciplinary overdose prevention activities to decrease overdose deaths. • Evaluate the extent to which additional funding to eight opioid overdose prevention projects, referred to as “Tackling Opioid Use With Networks (TOWN)”, impact the incidence of overdose in communities. • Create a TOWN Manual in collaboration with the communities to support the expansion and sustainability of the TOWN model. The eight sites will implement three evidence-based activities: (1) peer recovery specialists in emergency departments; (2) treatment linkage by emergency medical services; and (3) overdose fatality review teams. The project will also enhance six Minnesota Department of Public Safety-funded syringe services programs by providing each site with naloxone to distribute to participants who use opioids. Dr. Catherine Diamond from the Minnesota Department of Health will lead the project evaluation.

The Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) is applying for a Category 2 statewide area grant in the amount of $6,000,000. The Mississippi Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Program will implement universal SUD screening with comprehensive evidence-based SUD interventions delivered through collaboration between patient and provider. They will improve the timeliness and quality of drug overdose information on death certificates and the transfer of this information electronically to support the rapid exchange of death information. The program will select an appropriate web-based naloxone administration training portal to train law enforcement and other first responders on administration of naloxone and expand the availability of naloxone to those that receive training. Also, the program will extend and expand access to evidence-based treatment interventions through MSDH county health departments. This project serves all citizens of the state of Mississippi, a predominately rural state with a population of 2.9 million residents. The project includes partnerships between the Mississippi Public Health Institute, Mississippi Office of Forensics Laboratories, and the University of Mississippi Medical Center. Priority considerations addressed in this application include rural, high-poverty areas, and Qualified Opportunity Zones.

The city of Jacksonville proposes to implement peer navigators to provide case management to individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD); a law enforcement-assisted diversion program (LEAD); a Quick Response Team; continuum of care for children and families of individuals with OUD, including a psychologist in the schools; and establish an overdose fatality review board. Doctors Christina Lanier and Kristen DeVall from the University of North Carolina Wilmington will evaluate the project.

The Henderson County Health Department, through the County of Henderson, applied for Category 1b grant funding in the amount of $900,000. The funds will be used to expand access to recovery support services. The program seeks to provide peer-delivered services with a focus on rehabilitation and recovery, utilizing North Carolina certified peer support specialists and care coordinators. Services provided by the certified peers include psychosocial rehabilitation, habilitation, family support and training, short-term crisis intervention, and empowerment. This project serves a suburban area or medium-sized county with a population between 100,000 and 500,000. The project includes partnerships between Henderson County’s Behavioral Health Summit, Free Clinix, and Hope RX.

The County of Lenoir applied for Category 1b grant funding for the amount of $288,713. The purpose of the project is to improve capacity of the district’s Family Accountability and Recovery Court (FARC) to serve families involved in the family court system due to substance dependence. Project objectives include providing more seamless and comprehensive treatment, as well as recovery services to parents with substance use disorders through increased staff capacity, enhanced training and professional development, and expanding treatment and complementary services. The project also aims at addressing systemic barriers faced by parents with substance use disorders through family transitional housing and expanded transportation assistance, as well as improving FARC performance through evaluation and performance management. This project serves North Carolina’s 8th Judicial District (Lenoir, Wayne, and Green counties). The total population of the district is 201,483. The project includes partnerships between Lenoir County, the 8th Judicial District FARC program, Hope Restorations Inc., Kinston Community Health Center, and the National Center for State Courts. Priority considerations addressed in this application include rural challenges, high and persistent poverty, and improved safety in Qualified Opportunity Zones.

Surry County Government applied for Category 1c grant funding in the amount of $595,568. The project will establish an accessible continuum of care to reduce the impact of substance use on the community. Currently, two essential components are lacking in the community: (1) data analysis to link needs, treatment, and services; apprise cost effectiveness; and track impact outcomes countywide; and (2) transportation assistance for people needing treatment. This proposal outlines a plan to implement these two critical elements. This project serves Surry County, North Carolina, which has a population of 73,232. The project includes partnerships between preventive, treatment, recovery, social, and justice service agencies in the county. Priority considerations addressed in this application include: rural, Qualified Opportunity Zones, a high rate of treatment admissions, high rates of overdose and overdose death, and a high rate of drug-related crime.

The Wake County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) will develop an Opioid Abuse Management Program, which aims to reduce the high rate of opioid overdoses and opioid fatalities in Wake County. The Opioid Abuse Management program will be overseen by a Program Coordinator who will implement and oversee the progress of the program. Funding through the program will ensure that all deputies are equipped with naloxone to administer and reverse the effects of an overdose. The program will also provide handheld narcotics analyzers and necessary accessories, which will enable deputies to quickly identify suspected controlled substances in emergency situations. Tablets will also be funded through the program and will be provided to deputies responding to substance abuse calls. These tablets will provide a direct connection to Alliance Health Access and Information Line, where deputies will receive immediate virtual assistance from a social services professional. Tablets will also be used in the Detox Unit by project staff for reporting and data management, as well as by residents housed in the Detox Unit to assist with job applications, substance abuse treatment programs, and telehealth visits. WCSO recognizes that our duty of care must not stop upon a resident’s release and therefore will implement collaborative partnerships with behavioral health clinics and treatment providers to expand our comprehensive efforts to respond to, treat, and support those impacted by illicit opioids, stimulants, and other drugs of abuse once released from our care. WCSO will procure a software company to develop and implement a Substance Abuse Disorder Management Platform that will track treatment during incarceration and upon release. This software will connect the WCSO with outside healthcare professionals to better understand patterns and to share crucial information.

Atlantic City is applying for Category 1 funding in the amount of $600,000. The Atlantic City COSSAP program will focus on promoting public safety and supporting access to recovery services, strengthening data collection and sharing, aligning and maximizing resources, and preventing substance use. It will implement a comprehensive plan to reduce the risk of overdose death and enhance treatment and recovery engagement through recommendations made by the city’s overdose fatality review team, bringing together stakeholders with different perspectives and different data sets to improve public health and clinical practices. Strategies include enhanced outreach to overdose survivors and their families and enhanced targeting of high-frequency cases. Goals of the project include reducing the impact of opioids, stimulants, and other substances on individuals and communities, reducing the number of overdose fatalities, and mitigating the impacts on crime victims by supporting comprehensive, collaborative initiatives, in part by enhancing the proactive use of prescription drug monitoring programs to support clinical decision making and preventing the misuse and diversion of controlled substances. The project serves Atlantic City, which has a population of 37,999. The project includes partnerships with the city’s Director of Public Health, the Jewish Family Services Department, Southern Jersey Family Medical Center, AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center Behavioral Health, the Atlantic City Police Department, the Atlantic City Municipal Court, and emergency medical services. Priority considerations addressed in this application include a high rate of primary treatment admissions for heroin, opioids, and stimulants; high rates of overdose deaths; and a lack of accessibility to treatment providers and facilities.

The Camden County Department of Corrections (CCDOC) applied for Category 1a grant funding in the amount of $1,200,000. The Comprehensive Substance Use and Recovery Support Program for Incarcerated Individuals in the Camden County Correctional Facility (CCCF) will expand the department’s capacity to identify, respond to, treat, and support individuals incarcerated in the CCCF with a history of substance use, specifically individuals with a non- opioid use disorder. Through the use of substance use and recovery support services for individuals both pre- and post-release, this project serves Camden County, New Jersey, which has a population of approximately 513,000 across 37 municipalities. The project includes partnerships between Camden County Department of Health and Human Services Office of Mental Health and Addictions, CFG Health Network, and CCDOC’s contracted medical and mental health provider, as well as partnerships with Project HOPE, the Center for Family Services, Volunteers of America, Genesis Counseling Centers, and the New Jersey Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services. These agencies will support CCDOC reentry efforts, providing vital support to individuals such as housing, MOUD, SU, and mental health counseling, employment, and job-readiness training. Priority considerations addressed in this application include a high-poverty area and Qualified Opportunity Zone. There are six objectives of the proposed program. Objective 1 includes the implementation of a substance use screening tool and assessment during the booking and classification phase to effectively identify individuals incarcerated with a substance use disorder. Objective 2 provides substance use counseling and support services for individuals (both in person and via telehealth) while incarcerated in CCCF. Objective 3 provides integrated care coordination for individuals during a period of incarceration to promote and foster health equity of the justice-involved population. Objective 4 provides peer recovery support services to individuals transitioning home following release from the CCCF through the development of Peer Support Teams. Objective 5 provides recovery support housing to individuals that have engaged in substance use and/or receiving MOUD and are housing insecure at the time of release from CCCF. Lastly, Objective 6 is focused on establishing a Reentry Release Center to include a team of CDACs to continue the coordination of services upon release from CCCF.

The City of Paterson, New Jersey, applied for Category 1b grant funding in the amount of $900,000. The Paterson Coalition for Opioid Assessment and Response (COAR) will support initiatives led by the City's inaugural Opioid Response Team (ORT), staffed by specially-trained law enforcement, emergency medical technicians, social workers, and peer recovery support workers. The ORT functions as the COAR's ground force by which to perform proactive outreach on a group and personalized basis with residents in “hot spot” areas, as identified based on the collective data and research of COAR. The program works closely with the adjacent Overdose Fatality Review Team to better analyze and understand overdose cases and trends, allowing COAR to identify additional gaps in services or policies that would potentially minimize its high rate of overdoses. Also, the program provides to hire staff needed to build the capacity and sustainability of COAR over time, as well as support the proposed activities. This project serves the City of Paterson, which has a population of ~160,000 residents. This effort involves partnerships between law enforcement entities from the local (Paterson Police Department), county (Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office), and interstate/federal (New York/New Jersey High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area) levels; addiction and health professionals from local (Paterson Department of Health and Human Services/Division of Health), county (Passaic County Department of Health and Human Services/Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services), and regional (St. Joseph’s University Medical Center) levels; community-based partners who work hands-on to develop policy (Health Coalition of Passaic County) and programs to support the region’s substance-using residents; and traditional Narcan distributors (Paterson Fire Department and Paterson Emergency Medical Services). Priority considerations addressed in this application include: addressing needs in high-poverty areas; supporting law enforcement in Qualified Opportunity Zones; and addressing areas with a high rate of primary treatment admissions for heroin/opioids, high rates of overdose deaths, and a lack of accessibility to treatment providers.

Hudson County will use grant funds to hire two peer recovery navigators and expand recovery wrap-around services for individuals and families in need including primary health services, mental health and addiction treatment services. The County will also hire staff to work in at three municipal police departments to provide case management services to those working towards recovery. The Rutgers Center for State Public Health Policy will serve as the evaluator for this project.

The New Jersey State Parole Board (NJSPB) is applying for a Category 2 award in the amount of $3,278,813. The FY 2021 COSSAP-New Jersey State Parole Board project will provide peer recovery-based services to individuals with substance use disorder who are under parole supervision, as well as expand Rutgers University’s current Intensive Recovery Treatment Support (IRTS) program and create a team of providers specifically dedicated to the needs of individuals under NJSPB supervision. The target population to be served under this grant will be a minimum of 110 adult offenders released from New Jersey state correctional facilities to parole supervision residing in any one of New Jersey’s 21 counties. Medium-to-high-risk offenders will be identified prior to their release from prison and will be referred, when released on parole, to receive IRTS services with the aid of a Peer Health Navigator. The project includes a partnership with Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care. Priority considerations addressed in this application include protecting the public from crime and evolving threats, building trust between law enforcement and the community, and serving individuals residing in high-poverty areas.

The New Mexico Human Services Department applied for Category 2 statewide area grant funding in the amount of $6,000,000. The implementation and enhancement of Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) programs in New Mexico will reduce criminal behavior, decrease criminal justice and emergency health service utilization, and improve public safety by supporting the development of LEAD in tribal and nontribal jurisdictions. The project aims to reduce drug overdose and improve the quality of life for people with a substance use disorder while supporting a coordinated collaborative response to behavioral health among criminal justice, social service, and public health systems. This project serves approximately 900,000 residents in New Mexico. The project includes partnerships between Bernalillo County, Santa Fe County, Taos County, Lea County, San Juan County and San Miguel County. Priority considerations addressed in this application include the high rate of individuals in New Mexico jails and prisons estimated to have an untreated substance use disorder and the high rates of racial disparity in corrections.

Sierra County in New Mexico will develop a crisis intervention team to assist law enforcement officers in developing a law enforcement diversion program, provide jail-based opioid and behavioral health services, provide skill-building and treatment, assist incarcerated individuals transitioning to community-based services once released from custody, add community behavior health treatment planning and services, and conduct opioid education programs in schools. This project will engage Ann Hays Egan of New Ventures Consulting as the research partner for this project.

The City of Ithaca applied for Category 1b suburban area grant funding in the amount of $900,000. The Ithaca LEAD Program (ILP) will reduce repeated arrests and incarceration for people whose unlawful conduct stems from unmet behavioral health needs in the city of Ithaca and adjacent towns in Tompkins County, New York. ILP will reduce racial disparities in criminal justice involvement for the region’s African-American population, reduce unnecessary arrests and prosecutions imposed on the justice system, improve officer efficiency, maximize the value of the city’s community-based service array, and improve outcomes for this complex population. In the era of COVID-19, these changes are especially critical. Across the nation, officers are confronting new challenges in interacting with people on the street; jails are striving to reduce incarceration so as to mitigate COVID-19 risks; and judges, attorneys, and court staff are seeking to reduce congestion in courtrooms. This project serves the city of Ithaca, New York. The project includes partnerships with Tompkins County District Attorney and Legislature, Community Leadership Team DCI, Ithaca Police Department, Tompkins County Sheriff, REACH Medical, Greater Ithaca Activities Center, and the LEAD National Support Bureau. Priority considerations addressed in this application include Qualified Opportunity Zones, as well as challenges faced by rural communities and high-poverty areas.

Butler County of Ohio applied for Category 1B grant funding in the amount of $900,000. The Butler County COSSAP project aims to reduce the impact of opioids, stimulants, and other substances on individuals within its communities, through reducing the number of overdose fatalities, as well as mitigating the impacts of on crime victims by supporting comprehensive, collaborative initiatives. This project serves Butler County, home to a population of 382,000. The project includes a partnership with Miami University’s Center for School-based Mental Health Programs. Priority considerations addressed in this application include rural challenges in a high-poverty area and Qualified Opportunity Zone.

The City of Columbus Department of Public Safety applied for grant funding in the amount of $1200,000 under Category 1A. This project serves the 1,316,756 residents of the city of Columbus and Franklin County, Ohio. The Rapid Response Emergency Addiction Crisis Team (RREACT) EMS Outreach Unit is a unit within the Division of Fire’s Training and Emergency Medical Services Bureau and is supported by the Division of Police’s Crisis Response Team. RREACT EMS outreach members include firefighters/paramedics, Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) certified peace officers, a substance use case manager, a registered SUD nurse, a family case manager, and trauma specialist. This multidisciplinary outreach team goes directly into communities to connect with opioid users who survive overdose, but then refuse EMS transport to the emergency room. The goal of the outreach unit is to proactively create connections and build relationships with opioid users. RREACT follows up with addicted individuals in the community within 48 hours of nonfatal overdose; checks in on their immediate health and wellness; provides resource information, and creates opportunities for users to link with harm-reduction supplies, treatment programs, and social service supports. RREACT actively partners with local treatment providers, public health departments, justice agencies, and Franklin County’s Family and Children First Council to achieve desired project outcomes. Gretchen Hammond with Mighty Crow, Inc. serves as the evaluator for the proposed project. The applicant is eligible for COSSAP priority consideration based on overdose rates in Franklin County and the City of Columbus and the project’s impact on increased public safety in Qualified Opportunity Zones.

Erie County will develop the Drug Overdose Response Team (DORT). DORT will be available 24/7 to respond on scene to calls about drug overdoses whenever first responders are involved, provide short-term case management, and conduct intensive follow up. DORT will serve the geographic area of Erie County with a population just under 75,000. This project includes partnerships with the Erie County Sheriff’s Office and Erie County Prosecutor’s Office.

Franklin County, Ohio, applied for grant funding under Category 1A in the amount of $1,200,000. This project will serve individuals incarcerated at the Franklin County Jail and screened as at-risk for substance use dependency and drug-related overdose. The purpose of the project is to (a) reduce drug-related overdoses and deaths, (b) increase peer support and treatment referral and linkage, (c) increase access to medication-assisted treatment pre- and post-release, and (d) decrease recidivism. The Fast Track to Treatment initiative includes partnerships with the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, Franklin County Municipal Court, Southeast Inc., Alvis180, and PrimaryOne Health. Priority considerations addressed in this application include a program model that focuses services in a county with a demonstrated disproportionate number of drug overdose deaths (43.3 overdoses per 100,000 as compared to the U.S. rate of 20.7 overdose deaths per 100,000) and program implementation intended to improve public safety by targeting services in federally designated Qualified Opportunity Zones. Dr. Gretchen Clark-Hammond, CEO of Mighty Crow, shall serve as program evaluator for the proposed project.

Franklin County Municipal Court applied under Category 1A for grant funding in the amount of $903,289 to support and enhance its MAT, Assessment, Referral, Care and Hope (MARCH) project. This project serves Franklin County and the areas surrounding Columbus, Ohio, with an estimated population of 922,223. The purpose of the project is to continue to fund, expand, and enhance the court’s MAT program — an innovative and effective collaborative effort among Franklin County and City of Columbus justice and government stakeholders. Grant funds would continue to support the positions of MAT project manager and one community case manager through 2023. Enhancements would add an additional community case manager and a contracted peer support specialist to significantly increase the capacity of the program, opening more days to in-custody referrals and facilitating the offering of a full-time behavioral health walk-in clinic. The project includes partnerships between Franklin County Municipal Court, Columbus City Attorney, Office of Justice Policy and Programs, Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, Franklin County ADAMH Board, and a variety of community behavioral health providers. The MARCH program will enhance public safety in Qualified Opportunity Zones.

The Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services (OCJS) applied under Category 2 on behalf of the State of Ohio for grant funding in the amount of $6,000,000 for the First Responder Diversion Programs in Ohio project. Through this grant, first responder diversion (FRD) programs will be created and/or expanded in rural and urban areas across Ohio. The project serves Cuyahoga, Fairfield, Franklin, Hamilton, Lawrence, Lorain, and Mansfield counties. Federally designated Qualified Opportunity Zones and high-poverty areas were a consideration in identifying several of the pilot sites. The project partners include OCJS, Cordata, Talbert House, the University of Cincinnati, and drug task forces in participating FRD sites.

Ross County Health District applied for Category 1c rural/tribal area grant funding in the amount of $600,000. The Ross County Peer Recovery Service Center will expand access to treatment and recovery support services for individuals at high risk of overdose involving opioids, stimulants, and other substances through a new program of countywide coordination of recovery support services. System coordination will occur early in the individual’s involvement with the criminal justice system, identifying key recovery sites for navigation and service connection. The project will employ a dedicated peer recovery services coordinator who works out of the Ross County Community Action Commission (RCCAC) through a newly developed service line: a countywide Peer Recovery Service Center (PRS Center). In addition, dedicated recovery housing capacity will be a part of the recovery support system, as will an enhanced network of peer recovery supporters. The Ross County Peer Recovery Service Center will enhance the applicant’s current integrated service delivery system that promotes public health, sustained recovery, and safety for the community. This project serves Ross County, with a population of 76,666. The project includes partnerships between the Ross County Health District, RCCAC, Ross County Sheriff’s Office and Ross County Jail, Ross County Probation, Post Overdose Response Team, Ross County Common Pleas Court, Ohio University-Chillicothe, the Peer Recovery and Outreach Center.

Clackamas County applied for grant funding in the amount of $900,000 under Category 1B for the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) Plus project. This project serves the 424,747 residents of Clackamas County, which consists of urban, suburban, and rural areas spanning 1,879 square miles (larger than the state of Rhode Island). The primary goals of LEAD Plus are to continue and enhance the implementation of the LEAD program and add a new layer of coordination that connects the many opioid and substance abuse efforts in the county into a truly comprehensive and integrated approach. Clackamas County’s LEAD program is unique. It employs outreach, intensive case management, system navigation and coordination to support individuals struggling with Substance Use Disorder (SUD) move towards healing and recovery and transition from homelessness to permanent, stable housing. LEAD’s trauma-informed approach reduces barriers to SUD services and supports and increases the number of individuals that choose to engage in care coordination. The LEAD program also enhances Clackamas County’s public safety system by reducing participant engagement in the local criminal justice system. To end this cyclical engagement, LEAD provides an opportunity to divert eligible individuals from the criminal justice system to supportive services that improve their circumstances. The LEAD program reduces service access barriers through improved coordination with system partners. LEAD also supports participants by offering basic necessities such as food, medicine and shelter as well as help to secure identification, legal, and employment services. Key partners included in this project include the Clackamas County District Attorney’s Office, Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, Milwaukie Police Department, the Indigent Defense Corporation, homeless/houseless service providers, and substance abuse treatment providers. The program is administered by Clackamas County's Children, Family, & Community Connections Division.

The Crook County Health Department’s Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Prevention Program will identify and implement an evidence-based law enforcement and first responder diversion program; build capacity with the school district and law enforcement for education and prevention programs for K-12; enhance real-time data collection, analysis, and dissemination; increase access and accessibility to harm reduction strategies such as naloxone distribution and medication take-back programs; and assess needs and capacity for supporting medication-assisted treatment within the local jail, in addition to local recovery and support services. This project serves Crook County, a rural community in Oregon with a population of 25,562. The project includes partnerships between the Crook County Health Department, the Crook County Sheriff’s Office, the Prineville Police Department, BestCare Treatment Services, Rimrock Trails Treatment Services, the Crook County School District, Central Oregon Health Counsel, the Pain Standards Taskforce, St. Charles Health Systems, and Crook County Fire and Rescue. Those who will benefit from CCHD’s COSSAP project include individuals with opioid use and other substance use disorders, community partner organizations, and the community as prevention curriculum is implemented into Crook County School District K-12 and outreach and educational materials are provided to the entire population.

The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) is applying for a Category 1 award in the amount of $599,999. The LCSO-SBIRT project will implement a screening, brief intervention, treatment, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) program aligned to the COSSAP funding purpose of expanding comprehensive efforts to identify, respond to, treat, and support people impacted by illicit opioids, stimulants, and other drugs. This project serves Lincoln County, with the service population being adults 18 years of age and older who are booked into the Lincoln County Jail and who prescreen positive for risky substance use behaviors. The LCSO SBIRT program will serve 200 people over the life of the project. The project includes partnerships between ReConnections; Amy Yates, LCSW, Justice Counselor; and Data Specialist Brooke O’Byrne. Priority considerations addressed in this application include the fact that Lincoln County has five high-poverty census tracts in an area disproportionately impacted by substance use (e.g., lack of community treatment and high rates of overdose deaths), and the project will advance justice and build trust between law enforcement and the community.

Marion County will expand its Law Enforcement-Assisted Diversion (LEAD) initiative in targeted neighborhoods in Salem, Oregon. The Oregon Criminal Justice Commission will serve as the research partner for the proposed project.

The Lackawanna County District Attorney’s Office will establish a local, multiagency overdose fatality review (OFR) team. This team will meet on a monthly basis to conduct an in-depth review of Lackawanna County overdose deaths, increase collaboration among partner agencies, gather and analyze data regarding these cases, and develop and implement recommendations with the goal of decreasing overdose deaths throughout Lackawanna County. This project will also establish a database that promotes data sharing and collaboration among local stakeholders to identify at-risk populations and allow for more targeted programs to reduce overdose fatalities. The University of Pittsburgh, Program Evaluation and Research Unit will serve as the research partner for the proposed project.

The Pennsylvania State Police will use funds to implement Project TRIAD, which will synchronize innovative, technology-driven enforcement strategies, leveraging information received through community input. Project TRIAD is named for its three component parts: Component 1–Targeted Enforcement; Component 2–Problem Oriented Policing through Community Partnerships; and Component 3–Public Outreach. In addition, a research component will be funded to assess impact.

The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP) Enhancement Project will strengthen the organization of RIDOH’s PDMP, build dedicated staffing, engage stakeholders as well as plan and develop enhancements conforming to best practices. To further strengthen the PDMP, RIDOH is working with the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) to secure additional CMS funding for actual implementation of PDMP enhancements that are going to be outputs of this grant.

The City of Charleston is applying for Category 1 funding in the amount of $900,000. The Charleston County Addiction Crisis Task Force Police Assisted Peer Recovery Program, a law enforcement diversion program that will fund three positions: one project coordinator to provide data collection and analysis services to all law enforcement agencies in Charleston County and two peer support specialists to support law enforcement officers while conducting outreach. The project will also expand Charleston’s existing partnership with the Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative (PAARI) to include officer training, oversight of peer support specialists, and the design of multimedia products to inform officers and the community of this outreach initiative. The project will fund Critical Incident Management Software (CIMS) to facilitate communication between police-based outreach programs and treatment facilities to track follow-up success, with support from Kelley Research Associates (KRA) and ODMAP to facilitate real-time overdose follow-up communication across the county. The peer support specialists will deploy with trained QRT officers for the purpose of engaging individuals who recently suffered an overdose or presented signs of a substance use disorder during an interaction with law enforcement. They will be responsible for developing recovery plans to support overdose survivors as they transition to treatment. Harm reduction kits that include fentanyl test strips, clean injection equipment, naloxone, gloves, and information on local resources so that overdose deaths and other negative health outcomes associated with drug use can be reduced will be made available to survivors and at other locations. The goal of the project is to achieve a 15 percent reduction in the number of days from overdose to outreach. The project serves the City of Charleston, which is the nexus of the Charleston-North Charleston-Summerville Metropolitan Statistical Area and has a population estimated at 713,000, with an estimated 411,000 in Charleston County. The project includes partnerships with the Charleston Police Department, the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office, the North Charleston Police Department, and the Mt. Pleasant Police Department, all of which have officers serving on the Charleston County Addiction Crisis Task Force (ACT Force). The project will engage Kelley Research Associates to implement the CIMS and to evaluate the program. Priority considerations addressed in this application include a high rate of primary treatment admissions for heroin, opioids, and stimulants; high rates of overdose deaths; and a lack of accessibility to treatment providers and facilities. The project will also benefit individuals residing in high-poverty areas.

The entire county of Lancaster is 98,012 residents. The proposed project will provide resources for training of every law enforcement officer in the county on LEAD (Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion); promote visible prescription drug takeback strategies; and assist with training, handling, and distribution of naloxone. Priority considerations include the presence of a Qualified Opportunity Zone, poverty, and rural challenges. This application is for Category 1c grant funding.

The Gallatin Police Department (Sumner County, Tennessee, population 191,283) — in partnership with the Sumner County Sheriff’s Office, local treatment provider Volunteer Behavioral Health, local courts, and scientific consultants — requests $892,085 from the Bureau of Justice Assistance FY 2020 Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Site-based Program (Category 1b: Competition ID BJA-2020-17024) to implement a law enforcement-led substance abuse response to address the county’s increasing substance abuse problem. The proposed community-based strategy to address substance abuse and overdose risk will be implemented through enhancing connections to treatment; delivering evidence-based recovery services including needs assessment, individualized treatment plans, case management, medicated assisted treatment (MAT); providing a police-led awareness and prevention program to the county’s K-12 population, as well as a provision of Narcan to officer first responders. OJP priorities addressed include serving a designated Qualified Opportunity Zone, high-poverty areas, evidence-based services delivery, and program evaluation.

The Metro Public Health Department proposes to implement the Opioid Overdose Reduction Program which will implement a robust overdose monitoring and data reporting system, to drive the strategic planning of the Overdose Reduction Workgroup, a multi-disciplinary team of over 26 agencies and organizations. The program will conduct an analysis of the severity of the opioid crisis in Nashville and provide much needed data to community stakeholders. Additionally, they will implement an Overdose Fatality Review Team to further investigate overdose causes, trends and opportunities for earlier intervention. Grant funding is requested for: a full-time comprehensive opioid abust program coordinator and full-time epidemiologist, .35 FTE opioid response coordinator will carry out project requirements.

Rutherford County is applying for Category 1 funding in the amount of $471,807. The Rutherford County Emergency Medical Services (RCEMS) COSSAP Program will improve tracking, analysis, and dissemination of medicolegal data as relates to drug-related deaths and improve death investigation procedures within Rutherford County. The project will fund personnel to implement and manage the new Office of the State Medical Examiner (OSCME)-provided comprehensive case management system by collecting real-time comprehensive information regarding death investigations to include specifically overdose and drug-related deaths; and form a comprehensive opioid, stimulant, and substance misuse fatality review by liaison with OSCME, law enforcement officials, public health agencies, and other interested entities. The two new medicolegal death investigators will be available to assist the Operations Support Death Investigations Supervisor and the County Medical Examiner with those cases that do not reach the threshold for full autopsy performance but do require a thorough external examination with toxicology testing. This would allow for improved efficiency and timeliness for forensic results required for death certification, reporting to investigating law enforcement agencies, reporting to family of the decedents, and for any subsequent adjudication procedures and final disposition arrangements. Tracking of new drugs into the jurisdiction during review of toxicology reports on all medical examiner forensic cases will guide local and regional law enforcement efforts as it relates to crime prevention and identification of evolving threats. The project serves Rutherford County, which has a population of approximately 350,000. The project includes partnerships between RCEMS, OSCME, and the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office. Priority considerations addressed in this application include a high rate of primary treatment admissions for heroin, opioids, and stimulants; high rates of overdose deaths; and a lack of accessibility to treatment providers and facilities.

The Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services is applying for category 2 in the amount of $6,000,000. This project will increase local community’s capacity to respond to the presence of Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) among justice involved individuals and reduce the impact of SUDs among justice involved individuals. This project will include partnerships with the Tennessee Department of Health to support the expansion of Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) in COSSAP jail sites and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation to support Drug Endangered Children Task Forces, Field Based Drug Testing, and overdose data mapping. This project serves to support ten new implementation project sites; 1) Blount, 2) Roane, 3) Anderson, 4) Bradley, 5) Dickson, 6) Cheatham, 7) Roane, 8) Tipton, 9) Grundy and 10) Montgomery counties. Priority Considerations: Qualified Opportunity Zones: All 10 sites targeted for this COSSAP project have Qualified Opportunity Zones in their county: See Attachment 6. High-Poverty Areas or Persistent-Poverty Counties: Two of the targeted counties: Grundy and Cocke are rated by the TN Dept of Economic and Community Development as “Distressed”, while the other eight (8) counties are rated as “Transitional”. Poverty rates for all targeted counties are above the national average (12.3%) with Grundy (28.5%), Cocke (25.0%) and Bradley (18.0%) all exceeding the Statewide poverty rate of 16.7%. Address Specific Challenges That Rural Communities Face: Six of the ten sites selected have more than (50%) of their population residing in rural areas, which Grundy County having (100%) of its population residing in a rural area.

The Houston Health Department (HHD) will partner with Houston Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Houston Forensic Sciences Center, and the Houston Police Department (HPD) to implement the Drug Overdose and Misuse Alert System (DOMAS) project to fill the current gap in access to real-time data to address opiate overdose and misuse in Houston. The objectives are: (1) Implement overdose detection mapping application program using EMS data for real-time alerts and mapping for overdoses with notifications to law enforcement, public health, health care providers and the public. (2) Provide situational awareness of prescribing patterns for opioids/other drugs and actual overdose sites at the zip code level by analysis of Texas Prescription Drug Monitoring Program data. (3) Enhance awareness of street drugs among stakeholders through cooperation with the Houston Forensic Science Center, to provide timely local analysis of seized drugs, especially opioids.

Chesterfield County Sheriff’s Office is applying for grant funding in the amount of $1,192,430. This project serves the metro Richmond area with a population of over 500,000 and is submitted under Subcategory 1a. The purpose of the project is to provide specialized pretrial supervision to individuals at high risk for overdose and expand reentry planning and medication-assisted treatment to inmates. The project includes partnerships between the Chesterfield County Sheriff’s Office, Chesterfield Community Corrections Services, Chesterfield Mental Health Supportive Services, other local agencies and a local evaluator. Priority considerations addressed in this application include providing services to Qualified Opportunity Zones, addressing persistent poverty, and serving a region that has been disproportionately impacted by substance abuse.

The County of Page is applying for a Category 1 award in the amount of $600,000. The Page County Jail Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) Enhancement Re-Entry (JMATER) Program will address the growing opioid problem and the negative consequences of substance misuse and related crimes through evidence-based treatment and recovery services, peer support, and abstinence monitoring. The JMATER program will expand and enhance the current Jail MAT Re-Entry (JMATR) Program by adding in-house treatment and recovery services by hiring two dedicated substance use treatment staff members—a re-entry case manager and a substance use disorder therapist. These positions will allow for more timely responses to the treatment needs of program participants. Given the increasing pattern of drug misuse in Page County, referrals to JMATER are expected to exceed 50 eligible high-risk/high-need participants in the first year. Current trends indicate most referrals will be for probation violations on possession of Schedule I or II substances or prescription drugs as well as initial drug possession charges. The JMATER Program will provide 24-hour emergency/crisis intervention, case management, individual/group therapy, peer support, access to inpatient detoxification and residential treatment centers, transitional housing, an intensive outpatient program, trauma-informed services, and access to medication-assisted treatment induction and follow-up care through a telehealth system. The enhanced JMATER Program will help to reduce the substantial jail overcrowding and high arrest rates in Page County. This project serves Page County, a rural Virginia community with a total population of approximately 24,000. The project includes partnerships between local organizations and community-based partners, the Commonwealth of Virginia Department of Corrections, Strength in Peers, Gemeinshaft Home, the Page County Sheriff's Office Foundation, and the Town of Luray Police Department. This project will engage Dr. Debra Stanley as the evaluation partner for this project. Priority considerations addressed in this application include the fact that the targeted county is a high-poverty qualified opportunity zone rural area serving an economically distressed community.

In the Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Site-Based Program application, the Makah Tribe is proposing to utilize funding under Category 1: Local or Tribal Applicants, Subcategory 1c. The applicant intends to utilize funds from this application to continue funding the two FTE positions from the previous application: the COSSAP case manager and one coordinator, who will implement the LEAD program, develop MAT protocols, and help further expand the Sisuk Houses. There are no priority considerations for this application.

The Washington State Department of Health will improve the quality and accuracy of prescription monitoring program (PMP) data, expand use of PMP data for surveillance of opioid-related health outcomes, enhance the production and dissemination of education materials, and assist the Washington State Department of Health in advancing a vision of a modular, interoperation, and flexible architecture for public health surveillance.

The City of Menomonie Police Department (MPD) is applying for Category 1 funding in the amount of $584,202. Project Hope will benefit juveniles and adults in the City of Menomonie and Dunn County by employing strategies that provide alternatives to arrest and access to treatment opportunities. Project initiatives include the evidence-based Botvin LifeSkills program for juveniles, formation of a Quick Response Team (QRT) based on the Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiatives (PAARI) model, implementation of a juvenile offender diversion program, an amnesty program focused on providing treatment opportunities, creation of a sworn behavioral health officer position, utilization of software analytics to identify potential clients in need of treatment, and mentoring services for juveniles. MPD will partner with the Dunn County Department of Public Health to promote a local needle exchange program and to share information on how to acquire naloxone to raise awareness of resources available for individuals suffering from an opioid or methamphetamine addiction. Project Hope will also work with children suffering from adverse childhood experiences; once children are identified as being impacted by substance use, they will be offered services such as therapy and counseling. The project serves Dunn County, with a population of 45,368, and specifically the City of Menomonie, with a population of 16,404. The project includes partnerships with the Menomonie Fire Department, the Dunn County Department of Human Services, and the Dunn County Criminal Justice Collaborating Council. Priority considerations addressed in this application include building trust between law enforcement and the community; a high rate of primary treatment admissions for heroin, opioids, and stimulants; and high rates of overdose deaths.

The City of West Allis Fire Department (WAFD) is applying for Category 1 funding in the amount of $900,000. The Mobile Integrated Health MAT Access Advocate Program (MAAP) will expand the range and capability of the West Allis Fire Department’s Mobile Integrated Health (MIH) team to facilitate MIH and medication-assisted treatment (MAT) services to every Milwaukee County municipality, as well as support the development of training materials to allow for application of sustainable MIH practices across the entire county. WAFD’s MIH team pairs a community paramedic and a certified peer recovery support specialist who provide targeted outreach and facilitate new enrollments or reengagements to MAT services, reaching the opioid use disorder (OUD) population via either real-time, 24/7 response to overdose emergencies or visitation to patients referred to the program from local and regional partners. MAAP will connect with each participating municipality’s local framework to establish a referral process and connect the local effort to broader regional efforts. A local hospital will provide MAT (including buprenorphine induction), mental health screening with counseling, and warm handoffs to primary care and community MAT clinics. MAPP will educate police, fire, and health departments in all Milwaukee County suburbs on how they can adopt the West Allis OUD outreach practices. MAAP will also work with county stakeholders to ensure children impacted by substance misuse receive required services. The project serves Milwaukee County, which comprises 19 municipalities and has a population of 945,726. The project includes partnerships with the Medical College of Wisconsin, the Milwaukee County Assistant District Attorney, the Milwaukee County House of Corrections, the Milwaukee County Opioid Fatality Review team, the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office, the Milwaukee Fire Department Opioid Response Initiative, the Wisconsin Department of Health Service, and the Milwaukee County Office of Emergency Management. The project will engage Dr. Jennifer Hernandez-Meier of the Departments of Emergency Medicine and Psychiatry at the Medical College of Wisconsin as the primary research and evaluation partner. Priority considerations addressed in this application include a high rate of primary treatment admissions for heroin, opioids, and stimulants, high rates of overdose deaths, and a lack of accessibility to treatment providers and facilities.

Milwaukee County, with an estimated population of 945,726, through the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office and in collaboration with the Milwaukee Community Justice Council, the Medical College of Wisconsin, and a variety of public health and public safety partners, sought $1,200,000 in Subcategory 1a grant funding to create a Milwaukee Overdose Public Health and Safety Team (OD-PHAST). This project would expand and further coordinate current efforts to address overdoses, as well as overall substance misuse issues across the county. The OD-PHAST project aims to: (1) expand the delivery and analysis of near real-time data between multiple public health and public safety partners; (2) utilize both aggregate data and insights from case reviews to develop strategies and recommendations for changes to reduce the likelihood of future overdose incidents; (3) increase capacity to deliver timely toxicology findings to public health and safety partners; (4) enrich understanding of fatal overdose risk factors through expanded next-of-kin interviews; and (5) connect families impacted by overdose, particularly children, to services to mitigate the impact of the trauma experienced. Priority considerations addressed in this application include high-poverty areas and Qualified Opportunity Zones.

The Winnebago County District Attorney’s Office (WCDAO) is applying for Category 1 funding in the amount of $1,897,863. Stimulant and Opioid Addiction Recovery (SOAR) will develop a diversion strategy using evidence-based components for people with substance use disorder (SUD) and felony drug-possession cases and will improve data infrastructure, engaging stakeholders that include local justice, health, and service agencies and community-based service providers. SOAR will operate in two phases, the first beginning with the defendant being arrested or summoned to an initial court appearance. Phase 1 includes a 24/7 drug-monitoring program; Phase 2 consists of a post-charge diversion agreement. The project will collaborate with a recovery-services and training facility in Winnebago County that will provide certified peer support specialists. A local pharmacy will provide naltrexone shots to participants who are interested in pursuing that path. Pragmatic field tests of process improvements will document performance and feasibility of implementation. The project’s goal is to identify and respond to the needs of persons with SUD who are currently excluded from diversion programs. Deliverables include improved data collection to characterize and respond to SUD; a screening tool for treatment and diversion for persons with SUD; and improvements in domains important to the justice system, social-service agencies, the community, and SUD-involved persons, such as increased treatment engagement and reduced recidivism. The project serves Winnebago County, a largely rural county with a population of approximately 170,000. The project includes partnerships between WCDAO and the Winnebago County Department of Human Services, the Winnebago County Department of Public Health, Options Lab, the Winnebago County Circuit Court, the Wisconsin State Public Defender’s Office, and Fox Valley Peer-based Response, Information, Support, and Maintenance. The project will engage the New York University's Marron Institute as a research partner. Priority considerations addressed in this application include a high rate of primary treatment admissions for heroin, opioids, and stimulants; high rates of overdose deaths; and a lack of accessibility to treatment providers and facilities.

The Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ), in partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services, Department of Health Services, and Medical College of Wisconsin, will develop and enhance local and state information sharing partnerships by adding overdose fatality review teams in eight jurisdictions, providing training to these new teams, and piloting a bidirectional information sharing of the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) with the DOJ, emergency medical services, and the medical examiner to better inform prescribers of overdose activity.

The City of Charleston will use funding to hire a full-time coordinator and peer recovery coaches and support joint funding of a data analyst with the West Virginia Drug Intervention Institute (WV DII) at the University of Charleston to expand data analysis. Project partners include Thomas Hospital and WV DII. The City of Charleston has engaged WW DII at the University of Charleston as its research and evaluation partner.

The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources proposes a partnership among the West Virginia Office of Emergency Medical Services (EMS); the West Virginia Poison Control Center; medical examiners; the West Virginia Office of Maternal, Child and Family Health; and EMS, fire, and law enforcement personnel. The project will develop and enhance information sharing partnerships by linking data and distributing performance measure reports with respect to prehospital naloxone administration as well as fatal and nonfatal overdoses. The University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill Department of Emergency Medicine EMS Performance Improvement Center will serve as the research partner for the proposed project. A Web service will be developed that delivers data to the Overdose Detection Mapping Application Program (ODMAP).

The Cheyenne Regional Medical Center proposes a pre-arrest law enforcement assisted diversion program (LEAD) program. The project will include a part-time coordinator and a full-time case manager who will hold primary responsibility for planning and implementation of LEAD and client case management. Project partners include Laramie County, Cheyenne Police Department, Laramie County Sheriff’s Office, Cheyenne Municipal Court, and treatment providers.