Boston's FY18 COAP First Responder Partnership

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.

The Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Site-based Program aims to reduce opioid abuse and the number of overdose fatalities, as well as to mitigate the impacts on crime victims. The program also supports the implementation, enhancement, and proactive use of prescription drug monitoring programs to support clinical decision making and prevent the abuse and diversion of controlled substances.

The First Responders Partnerships category is to support multidisciplinary opioid response partnerships that include, at a minimum, a law enforcement/first responder component. Subcategory 1a supports partnerships that focus primarily on law enforcement/first responder and behavioral health and/or public health partnerships. Subcategory 1b supports partnerships that focus not only on law enforcement/first responders and behavioral health, but also on victim services and child welfare.

The Boston Police Department (BPD), in partnership with the Boston Public Health Commission, will expand and enhance a community-based first-responder post-overdose follow-up program in the city of Boston. Multi-disciplinary teams consisting of at least one BPD member and one public health advocate will conduct home-based outreach intervention with at least 100 individuals per quarter who have recently experienced non-fatal opioid overdoses to provide access to naloxone and recovery support services. These individuals will received prioritized access to detoxification and treatment services, as well as access to medication-assisted treatment. Dr. J. Richard Woy of JRW Associates will serve as research partner.

CA/NCF