Hero Help - Addiction and Behavioral Health Project

The Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Site-based Program (COAP) was developed as part of the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) legislation. COAP’s purpose is to provide financial and technical assistance to states, units of local government, and Indian tribal governments to plan, develop, and implement comprehensive efforts to identify, respond to, treat, and support those impacted by the opioid epidemic. The Harold Rogers Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) has been incorporated into the FY 2019 COAP solicitation. The purpose of the Harold Rogers PDMP is to improve collaboration and strategic decision making among regulatory and law enforcement agencies and public health entities to address prescription drug and opioid abuse, save lives, and reduce crime.

COAP aims to reduce opioid abuse and the number of overdose fatalities, as well as to mitigate the impacts on crime victims by supporting comprehensive, collaborative initiatives. The program also supports the implementation, enhancement, and proactive use of PDMPs to support clinical decision making and prevent the abuse and diversion of controlled substances. Grantees are prohibited from using federal funds to support activities that violate the Controlled Substances Act.

The objective of Category 1 is to encourage and support the development of comprehensive, locally driven responses to the opioid epidemic that expand access to supervision, treatment, and recovery support services across the criminal justice system; support law enforcement and other first responder diversion programs for non-violent drug offenders; promote education and prevention activities; and address the needs of children impacted by the opioid epidemic. All projects are expected to involve multiple agencies and partners.

The New Castle County Division of Police will expand Hero Help, a law enforcement led diversion by creating a team (substance abuse clinician, nurse, police officer, case manager, victim advocate) embedded in the Patrol Division, to respond immediately to 911 calls for service. Grant funds will support a full-time project coordinator, nurse, child victim advocate to respond to overdose where children are impacted, and a licensed clinician. The applicant will also expand their analytic capability by continuing to develop a software tool that will track near real-time fatal and non-fatal overdose data. This tool will have the ability to compile layers of data to include census tract data, unemployment, crime, behavioral health assisting agencies, etc. This software will also calculate the inclusive cost for the various expenses associated with overdoses; such as, the cost of an ambulance ride, paramedic time, emergency room and hospital services and/or stay, officers rate of pay and hours designated to each case, and the Department of Corrections (if more serious crimes are involved). Dr. Daniel O’Connell from the the University of Delaware will serve as the research partner for the proposed project.

CA/NCF