Technology-Assisted Treatment Expansion in Fayette County, IN

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 Indiana Criminal Justice Institute and the Indiana Division of Mental Health and Addiction will implement the program that will provide tablets to individuals in three pilot sites with the end goal of allowing for remote monitoring of medications and sobriety by the Fayette County Community Corrections. The project, titled Technology-Assisted Treatment Expansion in Fayette County, will operate in three pilot sites: the Fayette County Sheriff Dept., the Fayette County Community Corrections, and the House of Ruth. The pilot sites will be provided tablets and the associated software. Upon release, eligible participants will be provided wireless communication devices to allow remote monitoring of medications and sobriety. The ICJI and the DMHA will collaborate with Indiana University and two local service providers.

CA/NCF