Kenton County's Pre & Post Arrest Diversion Program

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 Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Site-based Program will develop, implement, and expand Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion by employing 2FTE pre and post-arrest diversion coordinators consisting of 1 FTE Police LEAD Coordinator and 1 FTE LEAD Population Coordinator to reduce incarceration and lower the cost to communities and provide a case manager for those leaving incarceration to reduce recidivism. The program will also contract a peer support specialist to assist quick response teams responding to overdoses to establish connections, provide harm-reduction information, and easy access to naloxone. In addition, the program will provide supportive services to those wanting treatment and those in recovery. Supportive services will include referrals to community partners, case management, transportation, recovery housing, assistance with identification and an Indigent Essentials Backpack. This project serves Kentucky’s Fourth Congressional District has a population of 761,936 consisting of 68.2% urban and 31.8% rural communities; is Kentucky’s third most populous congressional district; and part of the greater Cincinnati Region. The project includes partnerships between Mental Health America, Northern Kentucky Community Action, Life Learning Center, Transitions, SUN Behavioral Health, Alexandria’s Angels, Erlanger Police social workers, and the City of Falmouth.