Subject:
Title
Application to the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s Comprehensive Opioid Abuse program for intensive training and technical assistance for local teams to develop a comprehensive and multidisciplinary approach to opioid use disorder and emerging drug threats
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Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Approval by the Department Director for the intensive training and technical assistance for local teams to develop a comprehensive and multidisciplinary approach to opioid use disorder and emerging drug threats application.
• The technical assistance will provide travel scholarships for three of the five mandatory team members to participate in a three-day site visit to Erie County, New York; virtual peer-to-peer exchanges; calls with subject matter experts; and tailored training and technical assistance.
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Strategic Plan:
Ensure Public Health, Safety, and Welfare
2.1 Provide planning, coordination, prevention, and protective services to ensure a safe and secure community.
2.2 Be a facilitator, convener and purchaser of services for those in need
Deliver First Class Services to the Public and our Customers
5.1 Maximize partner relationships and public outreach
Summary:
The intensive training and technical assistance is open to current Bureau of Justice Assistance Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Program (COAP) grantees, including Pinellas County. This opportunity will provide a three-day site visit to Erie County, New York, on November 12-14, 2019, to meet with various representatives from various components of Erie County’s opioid response. In the months following the site visit Pinellas County will be afforded opportunities to connect with other COAP grantees for peer-to-peer learning and to learn from subject matter experts through tailored technical assistance.
Background/Explanation:
The opioid epidemic in Pinellas County is a pressing matter as more than one person dies every 32 hours from a drug-related overdose. A recent community health assessment conducted by the Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County identified “addiction” as a top health problem of concern and “alcohol and drug abuse” as the leading behavior concern within Pinellas County. This problem affects every demographic of every community across the county. From 2015 to 2017, the number of opioid-related overdose deaths increased by 36% while the population only increased 1.8% during the same timeframe. This trend is expected to continue into 2018 and beyond.
Pinellas County was awarded a COAP grant beginning October 1, 2018 through September 30, 2021 to establish the Pinellas County Strategic Information Partnership to better provide timely and accurate data for a comprehensive view of the drug abuse environment in Pinellas County. Data is currently maintained by different agencies without effective, real-time integration in a way that supports the responsiveness of public safety, public health, and behavioral health partners.
Fiscal Impact:
N/A this opportunity is for technical assistance.
Delegated Authority:
Authority for the Department Director to approve this application submission was delegated by the County Administrator per the memo dated March 28, 2016 titled “Delegation of Authority by the County Administrator and Improved Grant Procedures.”
Staff Member Responsible:
Daisy Rodriguez, Director, Human Services
Partners:
Pinellas County EMS & Fire Administration
Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County
Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office
Operation PAR
University of South Florida, Florida Mental Health Institute
District Six Medical Examiner
Opioid Task Force
Attachments:
Opportunity Announcement
Narrative Responses