Recovery Access Program (RAP)

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 1 is to encourage and support the development of comprehensive, locally driven responses to opioids, stimulants, and other substances 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 nonviolent drug offenders; promote education and prevention activities; and address the needs of children impacted by substance abuse.

The Recovery Access Program (RAP) will include embedded social workers provided by People Incorporated to respond to drug overdoses where children are affected. A police officer will be assigned to RAP to assist the proposed investigator with the Naloxone Plus Model and Drug Surveillance Program. The St. Paul Police Department (SPPD) proposes to use these funds to include an investigator to act as a liaison between the police, treatment facilities, and community resources, as well as to serve as an advocate for drug courts or other measures in place of incarceration when appropriate. Funds will also be used to hire an internal SPPD data analyst to collect and manage program performance and evaluation data for the purposes of program improvement and program sustainability beyond grant funding. This project serves the city of St. Paul’s population of about 310,000 individuals. The project includes partnerships with the University of Wisconsin-Madison Population Health Institute.

CA/NCF