Delaware's 2019 COAP Saving Lives

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 2 is to support states in their efforts to implement, enhance, or evaluate effective opioid-related efforts within the criminal justice system.

The Executive Office of the Governor of Delaware - Criminal Justice Council will implement new opioid-intervention programs in five geographically diverse localities: Dover (Kent County), Smyrna (Kent County), Millsboro (Sussex County), Seaford/Laurel (Sussex County), and Georgetown/Lewes/Milton (Sussex County). The project goals are to: 1) increase number of law enforcement diversion programs; 2) reduce overdose deaths; 3) increase transitional housing availability; and 4) increase services for youth impacted by opioid overdoses. One initiative will involve establishing pre-arrest or post-arrest law enforcement diversion programs (using the Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative (PAARI) model) for individuals who commit low level, non-violent, drug-related offenses by utilizing community-based substance abuse and behavioral health services.

The project will also include identifying cases where youth are impacted by an overdose and providing evidence-based responses; providing transitional or post recovery housing for individuals; and improving the collection/integration of data by purchasing a statewide case management system for law enforcement and Delaware’s Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health.

CA/NCF