Friday, April 19, 2024
4/19/2024
The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) (applicant) and Better Community Development. (BCD) (sub-recipient) will lead Project HEAL to expand and enhance treatment and recovery support services among African American (AA) adult men and women who reside in the Pulaski County, Arkansas (AR) area and are involved in the criminal justice system, have a substance use disorder (SUD) particularly alcohol, marijuana, and/or opioid abuse, or co-occurring SUD/mental illness (COD), and are at high risk for HIV/Viral Hepatitis (VH) infection or transmission. We plan to serve 1,200 individuals over the five-year project (240 individuals annually). A large proportion of persons served are expected to have some type of criminal justice involvement and underrepresented minorities. BCD, a three decades old program serves as a catalyst to constructively meet central AR’s urgent needs in SUD/COD treatment and HIV prevention, filling a service gap by establishing services beyond SUD/COD treatment to include a Community Health Worker (CHW) and HIV education/testing/stigma reduction for all enrollees of their program. The CHW will assist project enrollees with client-centered emotional, tangible, informational, and appraisal supports focused on recovery. The BCD team will refer clients to licensed treatment partners as needed for direct COD treatment services, including MAT, HIV, and Hepatitis services. Evidence based interventions (in addition to MAT and CHW) will include Motivational Interviewing, Healthy Love, and Seeking Safety provided by BCD staff. According to CDC, AR is the state with the greatest frequency of binge drinking and highest number of drinks per binge episode. AR also has the second highest rate of opioid prescriptions issued and filled (115/100 population in 2017). AR also has high rates of poverty and reentry. According to CDC 500 Cities report (2018), LR alcohol binge drinking was 15.4 with rates in parts of the city up to 19.8 in 2016. CDC also reported 154 overdose (OD) deaths related to opiates in LR from 2014-2016; alcohol binge drinking has been associated with overdose deaths. Arkansas averages about 350 new HIV infections each year in a population of only 2.8 million people. The AA population of late stage diagnosis increased from 46.8% in 2016 to 51.3% in 2017. Project HEAL will provide outreach and engagement services and assist enrollees with development of an individualized Recovery Plan. Project HEAL participants will have access to a full continuum of acceptable, effective, and individualized SUD/COD treatment including MAT and recovery support services including substance abuse peer counseling and support groups, housing for homeless and low income individuals and families, violence prevention, prevention of incarceration and community re-entry, and HIV prevention and service coordination. Lessons learned will be shared with providers and policy-makers.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).
