FY 2022 Residential Substance Abuse Treatment (RSAT) for State Prisoners Training and Technical Assistance Program

DARYL FOX: Good afternoon, everyone and welcome to today's webinar, “Residential Substance Abuse Treatment, RSAT, for State Prisoners Training and Technical Assistance Program,” hosted by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. This time, it's my pleasure to introduce Meg Chapman, Policy Advisor with the Bureau of Justice Assistance for some welcome remarks and to begin the presentation. Meg?
MEG CHAPMAN: Hello, everyone. Thank you for joining us today. As Daryl mentioned, my name is Meg Chapman, and I'm the Policy Advisor in the Corrections Reentry and Justice Reform Policy Group at the Bureau of Justice Assistance. I oversee a number of Training and Technical Assistance awards related to corrections and behavioral health, including RSAT TTA Award. Later on, you're going to hear from my colleague, LaShawn Benton, she's a State Policy Advisor, Program Manager for the RSAT Program within the Bureau of Justice Assistance Programs Division.
The Bureau of Justice Assistance is located within the Office of Justice Programs or OJP. OJP provides a wide range of services to the criminal justice community in the form of grants, training, technical assistance, and research. Although our focus today is on the BJA funding opportunity, there are other OJP offices shown on the slide that offer additional grants and programs to support our shared public safety mission.
BJA's mission is to provide leadership and services in grant administration and criminal justice policy development to support local, state, and tribal strategies to achieve safer communities. One of the ways BJA works towards this mission is through grants and training and technical assistance, and the solicitation is for the provision of training and technical assistance in support of one of BJA's grant programs.
Today, we're going to do a quick overview of the Residential Substance Abuse Treatment Program for State Prisoners, or RSAT Formula Grant Program, as a background before we get into reviewing the RSAT TTA funding opportunity and application process.
So I'm going to start here with just an overview, as I said, a little brief background. The purpose of the RSAT Grant Program is to break the cycle of drug use and violence by reducing the demand for use and trafficking of illegal drugs, and support increased access to evidence-based substance use treatment and recovery support services, including medication-assisted treatment, or MAT, among incarcerated individuals. RSAT funds may be used to support substance use disorder treatment or treatment for individuals with co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders in adult prisons, youth detention centers, and jails, as well as the continuation of treatment and recovery services in the community after release.
This slide identifies some hallmarks of the RSAT program, which include requirements to establish treatment programs for a specified period of time. Programs that operate as a therapeutic community, meaning in a separate facility, or dedicated housing unit within a facility, and conducting periodic drug testing while the individual is under the custody of the state or local government. RSAT also includes an emphasis on aftercare services, which involve the coordination of the Correctional Facility Treatment Program with other human service and rehabilitation programs, such as educational and job training programs, parole supervision programs, halfway house programs, and participation in self-help and peer group programs that may aid in the rehabilitation of individuals in the Substance Use Disorder Treatment Program.
States and localities are also required to allocate at least 10 percent of the total state allocation to local correctional and detention facilities, provided such facilities exist to be used for either Residential Substance Use Disorder Treatment Programs, or Jail-Based Substance Use Disorder Treatment Programs that are evidence-based, which, again, includes medication-assisted treatment. States and U.S. territories may apply for funds each year. And those funds are allocated based on a formula established by statute. Typically, states receive funding each year and may provide funds to the same program each year or different programs each year. And programs may operate, again, as mentioned earlier in prisons, youth detention facilities, jails, and in the community. So this concludes my brief overview of the RSAT Grant Program. And we have put a link in the chat to more information on BJA's website if you're interested in learning more about the RSAT Program itself.
Now I'm going to get into the specifics of the RSAT Training and Technical Assistance funding opportunity. RSAT TTA Program is designed to assist those formula grant recipients, which consists of states, tribes, and units of local governments, to implement evidence-based substance use disorder treatment programming and improve outcomes for detained and incarcerated individuals post-release. The solicitation is available on BJA's website and has also been added in the chat. The solicitation outlines key information on eligibility, required components, deadlines, and instructions about the application process. We encourage you to read the applications closely for full understanding what is expected, as well as contact information, should you have any technical or other issues. And we'll repeat this a couple of times, but it's just important to note that there is a two-stage submission requirement, one is to register, and the other is to submit your application.
So the goal of the RSAT TTA Program is to assist the formula grant recipients in the provision of residential treatment services that treat substance use disorders along with the co-occurring mental health conditions in inmates or detainees to prepare them for reintegration into their communities. Those treatment programs are expected to provide service in accordance with evidence of what works in correctional treatment and the training and technical assistance to enhance the capacities of the recipients to address similar issues on their own after the grant expires. The selected training and technical assistance provider must be able to administer comprehensive and high-quality training and technical assistance to grantees overseeing prisons and jails, adult, and juvenile facilities, and align its policies and practices with the—with promising practices that have been established for the RSAT Program. These guidelines provide promising practices related to screening, assessment, and programming to establish or maintain an RSAT Program. A link to the current promising practices guideline has been dropped into the chat.
The role of the selected training and technical assistance provider will be to assist the grantees and subrecipients and accomplishing the overall program's objectives and objectives of their specific grant program-funded projects. The selected TTA provider must be able to administer a comprehensive and high-quality training and technical assistance to support implementation of programming consistent with those promising practice guidelines. Additionally, the selected training and technical assistance provider will need to be responsive to requests for information or assistance from criminal justice practitioners, while also advancing the state of knowledge in correctional substance use disorder treatment and aftercare. Approaches to training and technical assistance will range from simple to complex, from short- to long-term, and from agency-specific to systemwide, and mechanisms for providing that training and technical assistance might include conference calls, on-site consultations, video conferencing, webinars, publications, peer-to-peer learning sessions, coaching, trainings, and other guided planning processes.
Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations, for-profit organizations, institutions of higher education, faith-based organizations, as well as consortiums with demonstrated experience in providing training and technical assistance on a national level on evidence-based substance use disorder programming for individuals in the criminal justice system of pre- and post-release.
The next few slides are going to go through a number of activities that are expected of the RSAT TTA provider. First is to maintain and enhance the RSAT, the existing RSAT TTA website, and we're dropping a link to that in the chat, and that includes resources, events, and funding opportunities relevant for correctional agencies implementing Residential Substance Use Disorder Treatment Programming. This includes promoting the awareness and importance of addressing any underlying mental health conditions of individuals with co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders, as well as the use of FDA-approved medications as part of a comprehensive RSAT Program. Also includes working with state administrative agencies to maintain the listserv of active subrecipients and key contacts responsible for undertaking grant and related activities, including interested state, local, and tribal contacts, and federal and national partners. As noted earlier, funding goes to states and U.S. territories and then it's pushed out within the state or territory as a result specific subrecipients may vary from year to year, depending on the process used by the state.
So another element of this is maintaining up-to-date contact on RSAT subrecipient programs on the RSAT TTA website highlighting successes and outcomes. Just want to note that the RSAT TTA website also offers a compendium describing RSAT programs if you want to get a better sense of those programs.
Another expectation is to deliver individual—individualized efficient and consistent training and technical assistance to support RSAT administrators and subrecipients to improve the delivery of evidence-based residential substance use disorder treatment, and aftercare services including MAT. Also to conduct up to 30 on-site fidelity assessments each year, and—in order to inform an individualized Training and Technical Assistance plan based on the assessment findings. The fidelity assessments should reflect guidelines promoted in the promising practices guidelines I mentioned earlier, and be designed to identify areas for improvement. The current fidelity assessment instrument may be found on the Training and Technical Assistance website. There's going to be a link in the chat added for this, and note that that link also will allow you to look at approved—other BJA approved RSAT manuals and curriculum that have been developed. And also expect the TA provider to anticipate, quickly identify, and address challenges that arise during training and technical assistance delivery. And when challenges arise the TA providers should be able to engage in strategies like case conferencing to, you know, bring in the collective knowledge of all of its TA coaches.
The training and technical assistance provider staff should have the necessary technical skill sets and experience to effectively be able to coach the subrecipients and assist them in reaching their goals. There are going to be occasions when an external expert might be required, so the training and technical assistance provider must utilize a range of vetted local and national subject experts to be made available if necessary. The training and technical systems provider must also participate in ongoing collaboration and coordination, emphasize active and actively engage in cross-organizational coordination which might include playing a coordinating role with other training and technical systems providers that might be providing overlapping assistance in a local
jurisdiction or working with BJA to coordinate with federal partners to support implementation of comprehensive substance use disorder treatment programs in correctional settings.
Training and technical assistance providers are also expected to support requests from practitioners and assist unfunded applicants in consultation with BJA. Not all of these ad hoc requests require an extensive response, but a limited number might require a thorough explanation and response. Training and technical assistance providers are also expected to serve as thought leader and information clearinghouse on behalf of BJA for relevant research and best practices through—this might include knowledge diffusion projects, products like fact sheets, hosting webinars, or delivering and updating as needed existing BJA curricula and manuals that I referenced earlier and we put in the chat. Providing networking opportunities for grantees and subrecipients through peer learning or disseminating information on best practices and lessons learned by attending and presenting at national state, local, tribal or other conferences and events, and generally practically building the field of knowledge and capacity to implement comprehensive substance use disorder treatment programs in correctional settings via national meetings and conferences.
The awardee will be required to submit a detailed work plan for approval by the BJA Program Manager within 30 days of the date of the award. The Program Manager will provide guidance on what topics should be included in the work plan, be available to advice and answer questions, and be working closely with that training and technical assistance provider over the course of the award.
Next slide. And finally, BJA anticipates making a single award for up to $800,000 with a potential of up to two 12-month supplements contingent on available funding and performance. So that is my overview of the solicitation. I'm going to pass it off to my colleague, LaShawn, to provide other information related to actually submitting your application.
LASHAWN BENTON: Each individual program solicitation outlines all elements of the application in the section called Application and Submission Information. And there is a checklist at the end of the solicitation that we recommend you use to ensure that you are—that you've included all the required items. Please note that there are specific forms for several of these items. To advance Executive Order 13929 Safe Policing for Safe Community, the Attorney General determined that all state, local and unit, and university or college law enforcement agencies must be certified by an approved independent credentialing body or have started the certification process, to be eligible for FY '22, DOJ discretionary grant funding. The certification requirement also applies to proposed sub-awardee. To become certified, the law enforcement agency must meet two mandatory conditions. The agency's use-of-force policies adheres to all applicable federal, state, and local laws, the agency's use of force policies prohibits chokeholds except in situations where use of deadly force is allowed by law. For a detailed information on this new certification requirement, please visit the website listed below, cops.usdoj.gov/SafePolicingEO.
There are several deadlines when it comes to submitting an application. Please pay close attention to the deadlines regarding the application submission for the RSAT TTA. The actual solicitation closes on May 31st, 2022, at 8:59 Eastern Standard Time. The Grants.gov deadline is May 26, 2022, at 8:59 Eastern Standard Time. You must submit your SF-424 and your lobbying disclosure form through Grants.gov. The JustGrants deadline is May 31st, 2022, at 8:59 Eastern Standard Time. Please note to submit the full application requirements in JustGrants.
JustGrants is pretty much a streamlined process now for us. So here it is. Other submission ahead with the JustGrants can't provide is the ability to use the web-based Budget Detail Worksheet that established a share structure and narrative for all of DOJ. It's a streamlined validation process that helps us clear budgets more quickly and it's a new entity administrative role in JustGrants that is assigned to users who created the SAM.gov account.
Application Submission, you identify the forms needed to submit an application. You will complete the web-based budget form. You will complete an application including certifying the information and you will submit the application.
JustGrants Support. This link application mechanics which should be in the chat, this application session provides applicants with information on how to submit an application for funding to DOJ. This session includes an overview presentation as well as a walkthrough of the application process, starting with submitting an application in Grants.gov through submitting an application package in JustGrants. More specifically, the sessions will ensure that applicants know how to navigate and use JustGrants. This includes how to access and utilize DOJ Grant Management System to apply for funding, how to search and find open DOJ funding opportunity. It gives you the steps and actions that applicants need to take prior to applying for funding. The grant roles, the entity administrator, the application submitter and et cetera, needed to ensure users are prepared to take the necessary steps and actions to submit an application. It also helps you to navigate and use the system and to save your work in addition to finding additional resources and training, materials, and job aid.
Your Application Elements. Each individual program solicitation outlines elements of the application in a section called Application and Submission Information. There is a checklist at the end of the solicitation that we recommend you use to ensure that you've included all the required items. Please note that there are specific forms for several of these items. When BJA reviews your application, including the peer review process, different weight is given to each section of the narrative and supporting materials. The requirements for each section are detailed in the solicitation, so please review closely. You'll also see how the attachments, like the timelines and the resumes, count towards particular sections.
There are some additional resources available to applicants, particularly those who are new to the process. BJA has created a grant application education webinar series found in the link which can help you walk through the process of applying for a BJA award. Two previously recorded webinars designed to assist potential applicant interested in applying for BJA funding opportunity. There's one called the BJA Grant Application—Applicant Education Series. “Funding Opportunities for Your Community in 2022: An Overview of What's Ahead.” That actual webinar was held on January 19, '22 as a resource. And there's another one, “BJA Grant Application—Applicant Education Series, the Funding Process, the First Steps to Applying and How to Prepare and Other Considerations.” That webinar was held on January 26, 2022, for your reference.
The Recommended Resources Online. These are just some additional resources you might want to consider and accessing as you work through your application. And these are the links listed here. On this page, you will find important technical contact information for JustGrants, Grants.gov, and the OJP Response Center. Again, applicants must register with Grants.gov at www.grants.gov, which is listed here, prior to submitting your application. All applications are due by 8:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on May 26, 2022, in Grants.gov. For technical assistance with your SF-424 and your lobbying disclosure, you can contact the Grants.gov helpdesk, the information that's listed here. For technical assistance with submitting the full application in the DOJ Justice Grant System, which is JustGrants, you may contact the JustGrants helpdesk. For all other assistance regarding the solicitation, please contact the solicitation contact assistance at the OJP Response Center. I will end with a slide which includes the links to BJA funding page. I encourage you to take a closer look at the solicitation of interest and to regularly check the site for timeline and constant updates. Again, on behalf of BJA, we thank you again for joining today's webinar and be well.
DARYL FOX: Thanks so much, Meg and LaShawn, for that informative webinar. So just changing pace here, we're going to go ahead and take some questions. If you do have a question, on the bottom right-hand side of your screen you can hit the three dots and hit Q&A internet and send it to all panelists. We'll go through those for the rest of the time we have today. Also a reminder that the PowerPoint recording and transcript for today will be posted to the BJA website, so if you've registered, you're participating today, you'll get a notice in your email that when those deliverable have been posted.
We'll just wait a few moments here as you begin to think about questions you may have for the panelists today. Once again, I'll go ahead and just put this quick reference contacts slide up too in case you do have questions regarding any particular part of the application, either the SF-424 and LLL through Grants.gov, JustGrants with the full application, anything with the solicitation itself with the OJP Response Center.
So that's likely a good thing. The webinar and the information presented was very thorough. Is there anything, Meg and LaShawn, that you wanted to say in the meantime before we may close today?
MEG CHAPMAN: No, just thank you for joining. And encourage you to apply if you'd like.
DARYL FOX: Great. So on behalf for the Bureau of Justice Assistance and our panelists, we want to thank you for joining today's webinar. This will end today's presentation.