West Virginia FY 17 CARA Technology-assisted Treatment Projects

The Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) Program is the first major federal substance use disorder treatment and recovery legislation in 40 years and the most comprehensive effort to address the opioid epidemic. CARA establishes a comprehensive, coordinated, and balanced strategy through enhanced grant programs that expand prevention and education efforts while also promoting treatment and recovery. The Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Site-based program was developed as part of the CARA legislation signed into law on July 22, 2016. In FY 2017, the Overdose Outreach Projects will provide funding and technical assistance to State agencies, State administrative offices, State criminal justice agencies, and other State agencies involved with the provision of substance use disorder services to offenders such as the State Administering Agency (SAA), the Administrative Office of the Courts, and the State Alcohol and Substance Abuse Agency. Funding must be used for Technology-assisted Treatment Projects designed to pilot up to three states on how technology can be used to expand treatment and recovery support opportunities to offenders with opioid use disorders with limited access to services. In addition, funds may be used to support a combination of the allowable use categories such as purchasing technology; hardware and software needed to implement web-based behavioral interventions to treat substance use disorders; training and staff support to manage the proposed project or provide services; develop, purchase, and/or maintain web-based services and electronic applications that can be accessed from computers, tablets, and/or smart phone devices that are designed to enhance or support treatment and recovery support services; purchase or lease devices that allow for the remote monitoring of offenders; develop or support remote, secure, and private two-way, real time, interactive audio and video connections between the supervision officer and the client located at another location. Grant funds may not be used to support services such as telephone conversations, electronic mail messages, or facsimile transmissions as the primary proposed intervention.

The West Virginia Division of Justice and Community Services (DJCS) will address the opioid crisis in West Virginia by increasing the number of technology-assisted treatment services for offenders due to an opioid use disorder in rural areas. The program plans to provide mental health services, addiction recovery services, and alternative sanctions or diversions. These services will be implemented through existent community corrections programs and future partnerships to provide risk and need assessments, group counseling, and individual counseling. The project will purchase and install the necessary hardware and software in 12 community corrections programs. The Office of Research and Strategic Planning is a unit within the DJCS that will provide the research needs for the project.

CA/NCF