Kentucky Comprehensive Advocacy and Resource Efforts (K-CARE)

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 proposed project, Kentucky Comprehensive Advocacy and Resource Efforts (K-CARE), will help to ensure that individuals negatively impacted by opioids are provided with support in the form of a community resource coordinator (CRC). K-CARE will hire one CRC to serve at each of the 16 Kentucky State Police (KSP) posts and a program administrator who will be located at KSP Headquarters. The program administrator will monitor the program, serve as a resource for CRCs throughout the state, and report outcome information. Each CRC will collaborate with law enforcement officers at their assigned posts to identify individuals in need of services.

K-CARE CRCs will participate in the KSP Angel Initiative, a statewide program that allows a person experiencing substance abuse to voluntarily present him or herself at any KSP post to request help. K-CARE CRCs will serve as a vital referral source for the constellation of needs that are likely to present, including linking victims with available services for interpersonal violence such as domestic violence shelters, child advocacy centers, and protective services. Likewise, K-CARE CRCs will help individuals in need to secure access to necessary health care services, transportation, employment assistance, job training, vocational rehabilitation programs, and independent/transitional housing options in their communities.

KSP utilizes ODMAP as well as an electronic reporting form within the state’s law enforcement operations system that tracks Naloxone administrations by law enforcement personnel throughout the state. Currently, there are efforts being made to link the systems so information will be fed electronically into the ODMAP system. The Kentucky Criminal Justice Statistical Analysis Center will serve as the research partner on this project.

CA/NCF