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.
Mendocino County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services (MCBHRS) is applying for Category 1 funding in the amount of $600,000. The Bridge Program will identify individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD) and other substance use disorders (SUDs) and start them on medication-assisted treatment (MAT) in custody and case manage them to MAT and/or substance use treatment services at clinics and Mendocino County Behavioral Health Substance Use Disorders Treatment (SUDT) sites pre-release. The program will continue to follow these individuals post-release and support them however possible. The program will fund a behavioral health case manager to work full time within the jail and perform comprehensive case management and discharge planning. The project serves rural Mendocino County, which has a population of 86,749. The project includes partnerships between MCBHRS and the SUDT, Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office, Mendocino Community Health Clinics, and Mendocino Coast Clinics. 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 Orange County Health Care Agency applied for a Category 1a rural area grant in the amount of $1,200,000. The Orange County Health Care Agency’s Closing the Gaps by Expanding Access for Reentry Clients program will provide (1) a transfer for those leaving Orange County Central Jail to a peer support recovery specialist for transportation and immediate connection to a case coordinator at one of four MAT and substance use disorder (SUD) treatment county clinics, (2) MAT and SUD treatment services by psychiatrists at the four county clinics, and (3) training by addiction specialist(s) for mental health workers and physicians in the county clinics on SUD and best-practices for working with MAT clients. This project serves Orange County, California, with approximately 3.2 million residents. The project includes partnerships between Correctional Health Services (CHS) and is supported by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department. Priority considerations addressed in this application include high rates of overdose deaths and a need to increase accessibility to treatment providers in the City of Santa Ana with areas of 25 percent poverty.
Stanislaus County will expand upon it's current community assessment, response, and engagement (CARE) multidisciplinary team (MDT). The team includes staff representation from the Modesto Fire Department, Modesto Police Department, Stanislaus County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services, Stanislaus County Probation Department, Stanislaus County Community Services Agency, and nonprofits that provide case management and peer recovery services. Funding will be used to hire a public health nurse, a substance use clinician, and a project coordinator as well as purchase recovery housing and emergency shelter vouchers.
The Yurok Tribal Court’s long-term goal is to develop, implement, and enhance diversion programs to address the escalating opioid epidemic within the Yurok community. The Yurok Tribe will be implementing the Yurok Opioid Diversion to Healing (YODH) Program. YODH will complete a Yurok Tribal Action Plan and community assessment, implement a community education and outreach program and workplace opioid awareness program, develop and implement a screening process in collaboration with the Humboldt and Del Norte Sheriffs’ Offices and the Superior Courts, and establish a formalized diversion process.
Boulder County applied for a Category 1b suburban area grant in the amount of $884,014. Project RENTR (Readiness, Engagement, Navigation, Treatment, and Recovery) will implement a range of allowable grant activities, including evidenced-based treatment services, peer recovery support services, pre- and post-booking treatment alternative to incarceration approaches, and court-based interventions. Project RENTR will increase services and treatment options for those with substance use disorders in pretrial/pre-booking, including those benefitting from a new Colorado law that reclassifies a misdemeanor drug felony as a misdemeanor. Project RENTR will also provide access to comprehensive screenings, assessments, case management, and treatment in the jail environment. The project will continue case management services for 90 days during the reentry process and accelerate access to community-based treatment options. This project serves Boulder County, Colorado, which has a population of 326,196. The project includes partnerships with the Boulder County Community Services Department. Priority considerations addressed in this application include high-poverty and persistent-poverty counties and Qualified Opportunity Zones.
The Georgia Criminal Justice Coordinating Council applied for Category 2 statewide area grant funding in the amount of $2,289,701. The Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Site-based Program will (1) establish a multi-locality naloxone initiative to include continued training for law enforcement personnel and provide funding to assist with the replenishment of the opioid reversal drug; (2) establish and implement a pre-arrest/post-booking diversion program for youth and adults who have a moderate to high risk of substance abuse within Athens-Clarke County; (3) provide K-12 youth in Athens-Clarke County with increased access to education and treatment; and (4) provide a comprehensive, real-time, information collection database for the City of Savannah to expand the pre-arrest diversion program, which is funded through the FY 2018 Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Site Program (COAP). This project serves serve 23 of Georgia’s 159 counties. The project includes partnerships between Athens-Clarke County Unified Government and City of Savannah.
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.
Cook County Health and Hospital System (CCHHS) and the Office of the Chief Judge (OCJ) are expanding their efforts to reduce the prevalence of opioid addiction in the Adult Probation Department (APD) in Cook County through Category 3. The goal of the proposed project, Universal Opioid Screening in Adult Probation to Reduce Usage and Overdose, is to engage activities around opioid addiction and facilitate training for probation officers and staff members; interagency partnerships for screening, assessment, and coordination of care of opioid use by probationers; and program evaluation.
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 Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections proposes to provide a comprehensive plan to develop and implement a medically managed opiate withdrawal program for offenders with opiate use disorders entering Bayou Dorcheat Correctional Center (BDCC). The program will provide assessment and medication-assisted therapy (MAT) with buprenorphine; provide pre- and post-release MAT in the form of oral naltrexone and/or the extended-release naltrexone injection for opioid use disorder (OUD) offenders; provide pre-and post-release intensive substance abuse treatment, employing a comprehensive case plan and discharge plan; and provide pre- and post-release peer recovery support services. Partners include: Probation and Parole, Louisiana Department of Health’s Office of Behavioral Health, Northwest Louisiana Human Service District, and Ascent Powered by Sober Grid.
COAP supports the Middle District Attorney’s Office in implementing the Worcester County Drug Diversion Initiative. Clinicians from AdCare Hospital assist law enforcement and prosecutors in identifying and screening individuals who may be appropriate for diversion to substance abuse treatment programs. This program is currently operating out of two locations – Leominster and Gardner/Winchendon District Courts— and it will soon be integrated into five district courts throughout Worcester County. Fitchburg State University will serve as the research partner for the proposed project.
The New Bedford Police Department (NBPD) will increase its capacity to offer outreach and referral services to individuals who have chosen diversion from prosecution and who have overdosed or been identified as at risk of overdosing. NBPD will (1) hire a full-time project manager to coordinate efforts within the department and with external partners; (2) add two recovery coaches to provide outreach and follow-up post-treatment coaching; (3) implement the Critical Incident Management System (CIMS) to house the necessary data to monitor and evaluate this effort and; (4) complete yearly evaluations to assess the overall effectiveness of the project in achieving its overall goals/objectives and evaluate the processes and implementation by tracking critical measures associated with the implementation of the program model. Kelley Research Associates will serve as the research partner for the proposed project.
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 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 29th Judicial Circuit Court applied for Category 1b suburban area grant funding in the amount of $887,194. The Jasper County Treatment Program (JCTP) will provide a postbooking connection to clinical treatment indicated by evidence-based needs for all offenders per screening for substance abuse, mental illness, criminogenic risk, and connection to enhanced treatment for family-based offenders. The program will also provide court-ordered referrals into the JCTP and referral into other offender programming as indicated for nonfamily substance abuse offenders, as well as develop individualized treatment plans for family-based substance abuse offenders. Also, the program will provide case management of JCTP participants targeting substance abuse and co-occurring disorders and communicate community treatment program participation requirements (i.e., probation conditions, such as mandatory counseling session participation, MAT plan compliance, drug testing, and court reporting). This project serves Jasper County (population 120,217). Priority considerations addressed in this application include eight high-poverty areas and a Qualified Opportunity Zone.
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.
Onslow County is applying for a Category 1 award in the amount of $899,943. The Onslow County COSSAP 2021 project will provide medication-assisted treatment (MAT), therapeutic counseling, and recovery case management in the Onslow County Detention Center (OCDC). The three target populations are opioid-addicted pregnant women, those currently receiving MAT from a community provider when booked into OCDC, and inmates initially assessed with an opioid dependency and a misdemeanor conviction. In addition, each individual will be connected to appropriate MAT, evidence-based therapeutic counseling, and recovery support services in the community upon release. These services will include recovery housing, health, education/training, and employment support coordinated by the recovery support case manager and a certified peer support specialist. This project serves Onslow County, which has a population of 211,881. The project includes partnerships between Southern Health Partners, Oxford House, Women/Children Housing, Hope is Alive, Coastal Carolina Community College and its Adult High School, NCWorks Career Center, the Onslow County Public Health Department, Goshen Medical Center, the Onslow County Department of Social Services, ACT Associates, and Integrated Family Services.
The City of Bismarck is applying for Category 1 funding in the amount of $900,000. Supporting First Responders Through Behavioral Health Interventions, Medication Assisted Treatment, and Connections to Care in the Emergency Department, a multidisciplinary overdose prevention, response, and referral model led by first responders, will serve as a bridge to intervene with overdose victims to transition them to medication-assisted treatment (MAT) and substance use disorder (SUD) treatment. Bismarck Police Department will partner with Heartview Foundation, a licensed addiction treatment provider, and Sanford Health Emergency Department to increase utilization of MAT for individuals with opioid use disorder; utilize recovery support services in the Sanford Emergency Department (ED) to develop a bridge between emergency room, law enforcement/first responders, and individuals needing treatment; and increase the availability of naloxone. The project will also increase communication efforts to reduce stigma surrounding SUDs, opioid use disorders (OUDs), and MAT. Deliverables include interventions with 90 individuals who have experienced an opioid overdose, as well as an additional 80 patients referred from the Opioid Overdose Bridge. Sanford Health ED will train ten medical professionals and twelve support staff members on SUD, MAT, and procedures for the Opioid Overdose Bridge. The project serves the Bismarck-Mandan Metropolitan Area in North Dakota, with an estimated population of 126,990. The project includes partnerships with the Bismarck, Mandan, and Lincoln Police Departments, the Burleigh and Morton County Sheriff’s Departments, Bismarck-Burleigh Public Health, Custer Health, Sanford Health Emergency Department, Ministry on the Margins, and Heartview Foundation. The project will engage Dr. Erin Winstanley, Vice Chair of Research, Department of Behavioral Medicine & Psychiatry at West Virginia University School of Medicine, as an 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.
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 County of Cumberland (Inc) is applying for Category 1 funding in the amount of $900,000. Fighting Relapse Effort Employing Drug Offense Monitoring Plus (FREEDOM+) is a collaborative diversionary program that will offer treatment and key peer recovery supports as a critical intervention that interrupts perpetuated criminal behavior. Additional harm reduction, prevention, and intervention efforts like Narcan distribution and education, fentanyl test strips, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's National Drug Take Back Initiative, and integrating Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) and Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative (PAARI) programs are the "plus" part of this project to support community members fighting to be substance free. The FREEDOM+ program aims to drive those caught in the cycle of relapse and drug-seeking behavior toward treatment on threat of legal consequence, while setting up the participant for success with compassionate peer recovery support services. This project serves an estimated 600 defendants who will be offered, through their defense counsel, an opportunity to participate in FREEDOM+, with hopes that the offered opportunity and supports will motivate as many as 50 percent of participants to remain compliant into sustained recovery. The project includes partnerships with the Cumberland County Department of Human Services (CCDHS), which is a primary partner in implementing FREEDOM+, and its substance misuse programs. CCDHS operates a state licensed treatment facility where they will administer Comprehensive Drug and Alcohol Evaluations and provide a quality, evidenced-based, multi-faceted approach to address substance use problems for individuals and families. CCDHS also operates the Capital Recovery Center, which will be instrumental in managing the progress of defendants participating in FREEDOM+ and providing holistic peer recovery supports. This project will engage Rutgers University’s Walter Rand Institute (WRI) as evaluator. FREEDOM+ advances the U.S. Department of Justice priorities in three ways: by increasing access to justice, protecting the public from crime and evolving threats, and building trust between law enforcement and the community. In addition, Cumberland County meets the Office of Justice Programs priority of being a high-poverty area.
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 New York State Unified Court System (UCS) is applying for Category 2 funding in the amount of $5,783,403. The New York Rural Opioid Court Initiative will implement opioid courts (OICs)—pre-plea court programs that expedite treatment and recovery services for offenders at high risk for overdose—in eight USDA-designated rural counties in New York State (Sullivan, Greene, Delaware, Genesee, Cortland, Columbia, Chenango, and Lewis). The project provides the infrastructure, planning, and evaluation of evidence-based treatment interventions, supervision, and recovery supportive services to successfully divert defendants with substance use disorder at risk of overdose. The OICs’ development will be supported locally by engaging in Sequential Intercept Model mapping in each jurisdiction and by the establishment of an OIC Center of Excellence, which will provide guidance to the selected counties in applying best practices to address the issues of polysubstance use disorders, mental health, and trauma. The project will also improve court supervision and access to treatment and peers through teleservices and will engage with drug testing laboratories to enhance testing for complex synthetic drugs to target effective supervision, treatment, and supportive services. The goal of the project is to stabilize defendants while an appropriate disposition of their case is determined so that participants may connect with treatment and other services that produce behavior change. The project serves Sullivan, Greene, Delaware, Genesee, Cortland, Columbia, Chenango, and Lewis counties in New York State, with a combined population of 408,060. The project includes partnerships with the New York Office of Addiction Services and Supports and Policy Research Associates. The project will engage NPC Research as an 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.
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 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.
The Wyoming County District Attorney’s Office (WCDAO) will establish a peer recovery support program to improve access to treatment for overdose survivors and their families. The certified recovery specialists will meet with patients in the emergency department and throughout the community and will coordinate referrals/warm hand-offs to behavioral health agencies within the county. WCDAO will also establish a new program to connect individuals who interact with first responder agencies, including EMS, fire departments, and law enforcement, with evidence-based treatment resources for substance abuse and mental health. This program will also provide training to first responders on addiction, mental health, and trauma-informed care. A formal law enforcement diversion program will also be created to connect individuals with treatment.
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 purpose of this program is to design and implement a collaborative intervention strategy that provides (pre-booking or post-booking) treatment alternative-to-incarceration programs serving individuals at high risk for overdose or substance abuse utilizing evidence-based recovery support services (transitional/recovery housing and peer support) and medication-assisted treatment (MAT). To meet these objectives, the proposed initiative will provide: 1) assessment-based individualized treatment plans, 2) MAT (Medication Assisted Treatment), 3) transitional housing at the OARS Center, 4) cognitive behavioral therapy, and 5) peer support services. Services will be delivered in the Oconee Addiction Recovery & Solutions Center located adjacent to the Oconee Law Enforcement Center that, as a communitywide enterprise, was recently renovated for this purpose. OARS will coordinate with the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office, the Oconee County Detention Center, the Oconee County Drug Court, the 10th Judicial Circuit Solicitor’s Office, and the Center for Family Medicine to deliver the proposed initiative through: 1) the development of a comprehensive, locally driven evidence-based response to opioids, stimulants, and other substances with expanded access to supervision, treatment, and recovery support services; 2) supporting law enforcement and other first responder diversion programs for nonviolent 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) needs assessment tools to identify and prioritize services for jail offenders; 4) the use of evidenced-based treatment practices; and 5) rigorous program evaluation by Clemson University providing feedback and improvement opportunities.
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.
Cocke County Government, located in the rural Appalachian Mountain region of eastern Tennessee, applied for grant funding under Subcategory 1b in the amount of $899,488. This project serves Tennessee's 4th Judicial District, which includes Cocke, Sevier, Jefferson, and Grainger counties and has a total combined population of 212,069. The purpose of the proposed Tennessee Recovery Oriented Compliance Strategy (TN-ROCS) Enhancement and Evaluation project is (1) to increase the capacity of this innovative court-based intervention program to link individuals across the district at high risk of overdose to appropriate, evidence-based behavioral health treatment and recovery support services; and (2) to independently validate the TN-ROCS model, such that key findings related to program quality and implementation fidelity can inform current and future data-driven expansion efforts. This project includes partnerships between Cocke County, 4th Judicial District Circuit Court Judge Duane Slone, Dr. Stephen Loyd, Dr. Jennifer Anderson, American Institutes for Research, and Rulo Strategies. All four priority considerations are addressed in this application. Cocke County is a geographically isolated rural area that is plagued by persistently high rates of poverty, substance use, and overdose fatality. Additionally, one census tract within Cocke County (9207.00) has been designated as a Qualified Opportunity Zone.
Seattle and King County (PH) requested funding in the amount of $1,200,000 over a 36-month period for the King County Jail Buprenorphine Inductions (KCJBI) project. This project serves King County, with a population of approximately 2.25 million. With the requested funding, KCJBI will initiate incarcerated individuals with opioid use disorder onto medication-assisted treatment with buprenorphine. To expand the MAT program, the KCJBI project will initiate individuals onto MAT during incarceration. This will be accomplished by utilizing requested funds to increase nursing and corrections officer staffing needed to execute the project. At release, individuals will be connected to a MAT provider in the community for ongoing treatment; of note, King County received DOJ COAP funding in 2019 to hire two substance use disorder specialists and one program assistant to assist in the delivery of this service. This project includes partnerships between PH, King County Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention, and community MAT providers. Priority considerations for this award include serving an area that has been disproportionately impacted by the use of illicit substances, a high-poverty area, and Qualified Opportunity Zones.
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.
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 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.
