The Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration is applying for a Category 2 statewide area grant in the amount of $6,000,000. The Arkansas COSSAP Project will address the opioid epidemic strategically and continue providing support to areas that have been disproportionally impacted by the abuse of illicit opioids, stimulants, and other substances, as indicated by a high rate of treatment admissions for substances other than alcohol; high rates of overdose-related deaths; and lack of accessibility to treatment and recovery services. The primary focuses of the proposed projects are comprehensive, real-time, regional information collection, analysis, and dissemination; the development of peer recovery services and treatment alternatives to incarceration; and continued Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Site-based Program (COAP) overdose investigations involving peer recovery services and the implementation of strategies identified in the Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Strategic Plan. This project serves specific counties where high rates of opioid deaths have been identified in COAP Category 2; however, the specific subrecipients for the proposed projects have not been selected. The project includes partnerships between the Department of Finance and Administration Office of Intergovernmental Services (DFA-IGS), Department Human Services, Office of State Drug Director, and the Single State Authority, in addition to a new partnership between DFA-IGS and the Arkansas Coroners’ Association. Priority considerations addressed in this application include providing services to rural communities and the fact that the individuals (populations) intended to benefit from the project reside in high-poverty and/or persistent-poverty counties.
The Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration will: • Support an overdose crime scene team consisting of a criminal investigator and a peer recovery specialist to assist law enforcement task forces/agencies in a minimum of six geographically diverse sites (counties, regions, or localities) within the state. • Increase access and enrollment to treatment, increase education and awareness, and evaluate the grant strategies identified in 25 localities within the state to address offenders who may be opioid abusers. The sites to receive subawards will be selected through a competitive process. Subawardees will be required to use overdoes detection mapping application program. An independent evaluator will be selected after the grant is awarded.
The Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration proposes to develop a statewide comprehensive opioid abuse plan that will include goals, objectives, and strategies addressing opioid abuse and misuse. The goals are to develop resources, recommend evidence-based practices, and create online tools that will aid Arkansas communities in reducing opioid abuse/misuse and related deaths and assist offenders with a history of opioid abuse. To meet the proposed objectives, the planning process will be facilitated by the planning consultant and consist of collaboration and partnerships from across state agencies and local entities. The required collaborative partner for this project is the Department of Human Services/State Drug Director, the state agency responsible for alcohol and substance abuse services. Other partnering agencies include the Department of Human Services/Office of the State Drug Director; representatives from the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Program (HIDTA); the Administrative Office of the Courts; Arkansas Community Correction (ACC), Probation and Parole; Department of Human Services, Child Welfare; Governor’s Office–Senior Advisor for Child Welfare; Arkansas Sheriff’s Association; Arkansas Chief’s Association; Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care (AFMC); Arkansas Municipal League (an association of city/county governments); the City of El Dorado; and the City of Marianna. After the plan is finalized and approved, the state will move towards the implementation phase. The state anticipates providing up to 25 subawards to localities/communities. Representatives from these localities/communities will be trained, utilize developed resources, implement strategies identified in the comprehensive plan, and become designated opioid task forces.
The City of Searcy is applying for a Category 1 award in the amount of $600,000. The Searcy Police Department Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse (COSSA) project will promote a higher level of cooperation and collaboration among the local agencies; improve the effectiveness of law enforcement to combat illicit opioid use, possession, and distribution and to improve interdiction efforts through training that focuses on up-to-date and relevant information about opioid misuse protocols, the importance of sharing information statewide, and collaboration between Drug Task Force members and law enforcement in general; and support and offer assistance to those affected by opioid use and opioid overdose. This collaborative effort will produce more effective investigations, prosecutions, treatment, and recovery involving opioids. This project serves Searcy, the largest city and county seat of White County, Arkansas, which has a population of 23,660. The project includes partnerships between the Searcy Police Department, the White County Sheriff’s Office, the Prairie County Sheriff’s Office, the Lonoke County Sheriff’s Office, the Central Arkansas Drug Task Force, and health and rehabilitation community partners.
The City of Alamosa applied for Category 1c tribal/rural area grant funding in the amount of $599,997. The Specialized Case Management program will provide a non-arrest, community partner pathway to connect addicted individuals to intensive case management and harm-reduction resources using the evidence- based TASC Specialized Case management and Let Everyone Advance with Dignity (LEAD) model. The City of Alamosa is creating a system of care that will allow individuals to receive appropriate levels of service and treatment to address root challenges rather than utilizing a criminal justice system clearly not equipped to address substance use disorder effectively. The Specialized Case Management program will provide a third pathway into intensive case management, service coordination, and connection to harm- reduction resources. This project serves approximately 50,000 residents in the 12th Judicial District. The project includes partnerships between the City of Alamosa, Center for Restorative Programs, and the 12th Judicial District Office of the District Attorney. Priority considerations addressed in this application include the disproportionate impact of opioids and other substances on the region, the specific challenges faced by rural communities, and the high poverty area served by the project.
Pinellas County is developing a Strategic Information Partnership (SIP) to (1) support real-time/timely data collection from key stakeholders to better articulate the current state of the problem; (2) improve communication for targeted outreach, enforcement, and education; (3) support cross-system planning and data evaluation to better inform policymakers on targeted interventions; and (4) leverage scarce resources and avoid duplication of efforts.
The Screven County Sheriff's Office applied for Category 1c tribal/rural grant funding in the amount of $587,825. The Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Site-based Program will (1) employ needs assessment tools to identify and prioritize services for jail offenders, (2) expand diversion programs for drug offenders to improve responses to offenders at high risk for overdose or substance abuse and provide alternative-to-incarceration services to those suffering from substance abuse disorders, (3) deliver an evidenced-based prevention program, and (4) offer rigorous program evaluation providing feedback and improvement opportunities. This project serves Screven County, Georgia, with a population of 14,300. The project includes partnerships between the Community Service Board of Middle Georgia, Ogeechee Division; Drug Court for the Ogeechee Judicial Circuit; and scientific partners. Priority considerations addressed in this application include a 100 percent rural county, high-poverty area, and Qualified Opportunity Zone.
The Guam Behavioral Health and Wellness Center (GBHWC) applied for Category 1b suburban area grant funding in the amount of $900,000. The Guam Family Recovery Program will provide swift American Society of Addiction Medicine assessments and placement when deemed appropriate. The program will also offer peer support services to identified clients and decrease the time from arrest to access possible treatment for clients suffering from the ills of substance use. A total of 450 assessments will be performed throughout the grant period. This project serves the community of Guam. The project includes partnerships between GBHWC, Department of Corrections, Superior Court of Guam, TOGHE, OASIS, and the Salvation Army Lighthouse Recovery Center.
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.
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.
The City of Brockton will use award funds to support its Project Link Up, primarily through salaries for police officers and its crime analyst and a contracted recovery coach, as well as city surveillance cameras and enhanced street lighting in targeted areas. The Brockton Police Department Project Link Up uses crime mapping and reports analysis to employ a two-pronged strategy to combat substance use disorder and firearms violence in those identified areas while linking citizens with necessary resources to improve their quality of life. A recovery coach co-response strategy is utilized in city areas most ravaged by the opioid epidemic as an RC-officer team outreaches to citizens most at risk for Substance Use Disorder, linking them to resources in the city ranging from the Department's own Champion Plan (providing free transportation to and initial stay at a recovery/treatment center) to housing to mental health services. Drug take-back days are also conducted throughout the city. In the neighborhoods most affected by firearms violence, officer teams conduct business outreach, discussing target hardening and ways police can help them while simultaneously showing a presence through street enforcement. All Project LinkUp shifts also include gathering answers to a community survey, sparking discussions with citizens and fostering good community-police relations.
The Fitchburg Police Department is applying for Category 1 funding in the amount of $504,063. The Fitchburg Outreach Initiative, a multidisciplinary program established in partnership with Community Health Link of Worcester, will incorporate referrals, prevention, response, case management, and education. This program is based on successful law enforcement diversion programs such as LEAD and PAARI. The Fitchburg Outreach Initiative will hire a full-time substance misuse clinician to be embedded within the police department to respond to opioid overdoses, substance use disorders, and co-occurring disorders in the City of Fitchburg. The clinician will provide follow-up and post encounter outreach to overdose survivors and their families. Additionally, the program will divert low-level offenders experiencing substance use disorders away from the criminal justice system and into treatment when it is safe and appropriate to do so. The Fitchburg Outreach Initiative will also launch an educational campaign highlighting prevention and resources available to families and survivors. The project serves the City of Fitchburg, which has a population of 40,882 residents. The project includes a partnership with Community Health Link, a multi-faceted social and behavioral service agency that provides detox services, inpatient clinics, outpatient clinics, 24/7 urgent care for substance use disorders, a homeless shelter, mental health services, recovery services for youth, and family support 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 project will also benefit individuals residing in high-poverty areas.
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 Middle District Attorney’s Office, in partnership with the Regional Substance Navigation Program (RSNP) and Community Connections, proposes the expansion of a successful regional model in the Greater Milford region. The RSNP has formal partnerships between police and the mental health agency, Community Connections, to provide rapid response to non-fatal overdoses and engage individuals in treatment. The RSNP also provides counseling, peer support, referrals, prevention, and intervention programming in the region. Community partners include schools, police, government agencies, municipalities, community-based organizations, and other stakeholders. Funding requested will increase RSNP staffing with licensed mental health professionals and recovery coaches, including services for children, through Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Animal Assistive Therapy. Additional staff will increase capacity to serve the region and to potentially expand to serve up to 20 towns. A recovery center will be established, housing the previously detailed services, educational and life skills programs, recovery activities such as recovery yoga and safe, substance-free social activities for individuals in recovery. Grant funding will support a full-time coordinator, recovery services and direct client services, rent, and furnishings of the recovery center.
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 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 Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) is applying for Category 1 funding in the amount of $1,067,674. The Peer Support and Community Outreach Program will enable HCSO to expand peer recovery support services to individuals in custody, as well as recovery support services including transitional or recovery housing. It will also expand community access to drug-take services. The HCSO, in partnership with Bold North Recovery and Consulting, will conduct community outreach and education efforts among residents at community events, which will feature distribution of medication disposal bags, education about the dangers of opioids, signs of addiction, treatment options, and the proper administration of naloxone. The HCSO will partner with Heritage Health Solutions to pilot Heritage CARES, a virtual peer recovery support services program, for which Heritage Health Solutions will provide training to key detention staff members. The project will conduct 24 community education sessions annually and distribute 1,200 drug disposal pouches and 2,499 naloxone kits. It will also provide virtual peer recovery support services for up to 435 residents. The project serves Hennepin County, which has a population of 1.3 million residents spanning 600 square miles. The project includes partnerships with Bold North Recovery and Consulting and Heritage Health Solutions. A priority consideration addressed in this application is building trust between law enforcement and the community.
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.
Region XII Commission on Mental Health and Mental Retardation doing business as Pine Belt Mental Healthcare Resources will develop a pre-arrest law enforcement diversion program. Funds will be used to develop a team of peer recovery support providers, a nurse, therapist, and a project coordinator that will accept referrals from law enforcement and a local emergency department. Project partners include Pine Belt Mental Healthcare Resources, Forrest and Lamar Counties Sheriffs’ Departments, Hattiesburg and Petal Police Departments, and Forrest General Hospital. The applicant will engage an independent research partner.
The Appalachian District Health Department, the Mediation and Restorative Justice Center and the Watauga County Sheriff’s Office are proposing to strengthen existing treatment services for offenders with opioid and other substance use disorders, establish a Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) program, embed peer support services in the local criminal justice system, and increase the capacity of first responders to respond to the opioid epidemic with effective, evidence-based interventions. Grant funds will support: a full-time hybrid position to serve as the detention center social worker/LEAD case manager and will serve as project coordinator; a full time peer-support specialist to work as a key member of these programs to ensure development and implementation meet the unique needs of those who have experienced addiction and incarceration.
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.
Through the implementation of its Substance Awareness Program, Hyde County Health Department (HCHD) aims to work collaboratively with community partners to reduce substance misuse, overdoses, and deaths, and disease transmissions & infections (related to intravenous drug use) by increasing the utilization of treatment & harm reduction resources; supporting people who use drugs (PWUD) and those in recovery; and providing education to PWUD, their families, and the general community.
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.
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 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.
The County of Monmouth, under the auspices of the Monmouth County Sheriff's Office Corrections Division, known as the Monmouth County Correctional institution (MCCI), will expand an existing in-custody medication-assisted treatment (MAT) program and provide cognitive behavioral treatment.
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.
St. Lawrence County applied for Category 1b suburban area grant funding in the amount of $900,000. The St. Lawrence County Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Site-based Program (COSSAP) utilizes patient-centered care to facilitate access to substance use treatment for individuals with opioid use disorder who are not currently getting the needed care. The program will expand harm-reduction services and recovery support opportunities, as well as increase access to communicable disease testing and preventive care to individuals in high-risk populations. Also, the program will provide essential patient-centered addiction services for the people at greatest risk for overdose. This project serves the 109,558 residents of St. Lawrence County. The project includes partnerships between St. Lawrence County Community Services, St. Lawrence Health Systems, Seaway Valley Prevention Council, the Maximizing Independent Living Center, and New Hope Transformation Ministries (dba Grace House). Priority considerations addressed in this application include Qualified Opportunity Zones and the specific challenges that rural communities face.
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.
The Lucas County Sheriff’s Office Community Advocates Outreach Project (CAOP), a division of the Drug Abuse Response Team (DART), applied under Category 1B for three-year total grant funding in the amount of $231,232 to serve 441,815 residents of Lucas County, Ohio. Federal funding will assist program expansion, which will reduce the demand of opioids, reduce the supply of opioids, and promote harm-reduction. The project will achieve these goals through (1) development, promotion, and implementation of a three-year mixed-media drug awareness campaign; and (2) the evaluation of the CAOP educational component of DART. The project includes partnerships with Arrowhead Behavioral Health, Boys and Girls Club of Toledo, Brightside Academy, Glass City Academy, Maumee Indoor Theater, the Mental Health and Recovery Services Board of Lucas County, St. Francis De Sales School, Toledo Public Schools, and UMADAOP Lucas County. Priority consideration addressed in this application is for a high-poverty area.
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 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 Seattle Police Department, in partnership with the Washington State Department of Corrections, King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, and the Public Defenders Association, will enhance in-custody access to services, mentoring, and peer support; expand reentry access to services (including stable housing and opioid abuse-related treatment), mentoring, and peer support; and provide options for diversion to treatment for persons on community supervision instead of return to custody. BetaGov/Litmus at New York University (NYU) will serve as the research partner for the proposed project.
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 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 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.
