2020 DOJ COSSAP Application- Mississippi

The Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Program (COSSAP) was developed as part of the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) legislation. COSSAP’s purpose is to provide financial and technical assistance to states, units of local government, and Indian tribal governments to develop, implement, or expand comprehensive efforts to identify, respond to, treat, and support those impacted by illicit opioids, stimulants, and other drugs of abuse.

The objective of Category 2 is to support states in their efforts to implement or enhance, in a minimum of six geographically diverse counties, localities, or regions, activities to: expand access to supervision, treatment, and recovery support services across the criminal justice system; support law enforcement and other first responder diversion programs for nonviolent drug offenders; promote education and prevention activities; and address the needs of children impacted by substance abuse.

The Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) is applying for a Category 2 statewide area grant in the amount of $6,000,000. The Mississippi Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Program will implement universal SUD screening with comprehensive evidence-based SUD interventions delivered through collaboration between patient and provider. They will improve the timeliness and quality of drug overdose information on death certificates and the transfer of this information electronically to support the rapid exchange of death information. The program will select an appropriate web-based naloxone administration training portal to train law enforcement and other first responders on administration of naloxone and expand the availability of naloxone to those that receive training. Also, the program will extend and expand access to evidence-based treatment interventions through MSDH county health departments. This project serves all citizens of the state of Mississippi, a predominately rural state with a population of 2.9 million residents. The project includes partnerships between the Mississippi Public Health Institute, Mississippi Office of Forensics Laboratories, and the University of Mississippi Medical Center. Priority considerations addressed in this application include rural, high-poverty areas, and Qualified Opportunity Zones.

CA/NCF