Subject:
Title
Grant award from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration for the First Responders - Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act Grant.
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Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Approval and execution by the County Administrator of the second-year continuation of a four-year grant award from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration for the First Responders - Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (FR-CARA) Grant and execution of the Application for Assistance - SF-424.
• Funding will support year two of the FR-CARA program.
• FR-CARA will expand the first responder’s Naloxone program in Pinellas County through increased training and Naloxone distribution; and increase connections to community substance use treatment services among overdose patients through the expansion of Quick Response Teams.
• The grant award for year two is $499,999.00 with a total award of $1,999,996.00.
• There are no match or cost sharing requirements.
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Strategic Plan:
Ensure Public Health, Safety, and Welfare
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
5.2 Be responsible stewards of the public’s resources
Summary:
The FR-CARA program works to address the County’s goals to reduce opioid-related deaths and connect individuals to effective treatment. The FR-CARA program will enhance the current first responder’s Naloxone program throughout Pinellas County by creating additional training opportunities, increasing community access to Naloxone, and by expanding the Quick Response Team (QRT) pilot program. The QRT will provide outreach to individuals referred by law enforcement officers and Fire personnel as being at risk for an overdose. Outreach efforts will occur for up to 90 days post referral. Pinellas County’s data will be evaluated through the FR-CARA program’s evaluation activities to identify actionable intelligence that will inform the program.
Background/Explanation:
From 2016-2021, 9-1-1 transports of suspected overdoses increased by nearly 360% (going from 1,513 in Fiscal Year (FY) 16 to 6,969 in FY 21). Law enforcement reported incidents involving Naloxone administration increased 78% from 2019-2021 (going from 129 in FY 19 to 229 in FY 21). Calls to 9-1-1 for suspected overdoses appear concentrated in several zip codes throughout the County. These trends continue to increase into FY 22 and are anticipated to continue beyond 2022.
Pinellas County Human Services (HS), Pinellas County Safety and Emergency Services (SES), and Gulf Coast Jewish Family and Community Services have partnered for the FR-CARA program to increase community access to Naloxone for overdose reversal, increase partner trainings on how to use Naloxone, and to expand the QRT pilot that was initiated with funding from the Bureau of Justice Assistance for the Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Site-based Program. Through FR-CARA, SES will implement a naloxone leave-behind program for calls related to overdoses and personnel at GCJFCS will staff the QRT, responding to referrals from law enforcement officers for individuals determined to be at risk of an overdose.
Fiscal Impact:
The second year of the four-year federal grant award is for $499,999.00 with a four-year total of $1,999,996.00. There is no match required.
Delegated Authority:
Authority for the County Administrator to accept this continuation award was delegated by the Board of County Commissioners on October 12, 2021, through the acceptance of the first-year grant award. Legistar Item 21-1827A.
Staff Member Responsible:
Karen Yatchum, Director, Human Services
Partners:
Department of Safety & Emergency Services
Pinellas County Fusion Group
Pinellas County Opioid Task Force
Gulf Coast JFCS
Zsido & Zsido LLC
Attachments:
Notice of Grant Award
Non-Competing Continuation
Legistar Item 21-1827A