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Grant Application - FY2024 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Grants to Expand Substance Use Disorder Capacity in Adult and Family Treatment Drug Courts
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INFORMATION CONTACT:
Sabrina Harrison, Drug Treatment Courts, Director, 704-698-3235
ACTION REQUESTED:
1) Approve the Family Treatment Court program’s request to apply for FY2024 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) grant funding, 2) authorize the County Manager to negotiate and execute agreements substantially consistent with this agenda item, and 3) upon receipt of the grant award, recognize, receive, and appropriate the funding to Family Treatment Court.
PRIOR BOARD ACTIONS:
None.
BACKGROUND:
Union County Drug Treatment Courts, under Union County District Courts, seek approval to apply for FY2024 SAMHSA funding to support the Family Treatment Court (FTC) program. As part of the Opioid Settlement, $750,000 over a three-year period (2023-2026) was allotted to address the needs of criminal justice involved persons, to include development and operation of Family Treatment Court (FTC). This funding covers one full time employee (FTE) director, one FTE court coordinator, and is anticipated to include one additional FTE court coordinator. FTC is requesting up to $400,000 per year for up to five years in SAMHSA funding. This funding will allow the program to hire 2 FTE peer support specialists, expand support services to FTC participants, expand substance use screening options, assist with cost of treatment services, and secure training opportunities for staff and FTC community partners.
Historically, evaluations of FTC programs across the nation have shown results of reduced time in out-of-home care for children of FTC participants and an increased likelihood of family reunification. A review of juvenile petitions filed by Union County Division of Social Services (DSS) in 2023 indicates at least 71% of respondent parents would meet the criteria to be screened for FTC. Expanding support services for participants would not only benefit the FTC participants and their children but would also offer support to DSS staff by enabling FTC staff to assist with substance use screening, support participants in completing activities of their Out-of-Home Family Services Agreements, and offer transportation assistance to respondent parents, as transportation is a major obstacle for many.
Offering peer support services, support from persons who lived experiences of trauma to establish safety and hope and to build trust, is considered a key component of FTC best practice standards (Center for Children and Family Futures and National Association of Drug Court Professionals, 2019). Peer support offers a unique level of understanding, acceptance, and validation not found in many other professional relationships. Research has associated peer support services with higher rates of treatment completion, decreased likelihood of substance use recurrence, and reduced utilization of emergency services and hospitalizations of participants (All Rise, 2023).
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Up to $400,000 per year for up to five years; no in-kind match from Union County required.