St. Mary Parish Drug Court Enhancement Program - Odyssey House Louisiana, Inc. (OHL) proposes enhancing services in its St. Mary Parish Drug Court program in southcentral Louisiana. Over the five-year grant period, OHL will serve 200 unduplicated individuals with substance use disorder or opioid use disorder diagnoses through expanded and enhanced counseling, case management, and mentorship supports, as well as providing essential wraparound and recovery support services, including referrals to medication assisted treatment, referrals to screenings and treatment for infectious diseases and direct transportation services. OHL’s work in St. Mary Parish LA includes the provision of substance use disorder (SUD) and opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment for participants in the St. Mary Prish Drug Court. Drug court employees operate in conjunction with OHL staff and the St. Mary Parish Probation Department, as well as local community partners, to provide comprehensive recovery services for these conditions, as well as co-occurring disorders. OHL’s population of focus for the St. Mary Parish Drug Court Enhancement Program will be people in the parish with substance use disorder or opioid use disorder diagnoses who are eligible to go through drug court. Using tools such as the Addiction Severity Index and other assessment measures, the program Counselor, Case Manager, and Mentor will develop and implement individualized treatment plans for each participant (40 per program year). Treatment will consist of interventions such as cognitive behavioral therapies, on-to-one case management and mentorship, and other supports such as tobacco cessation counseling and assistance. By providing these direct services, as well as transportation to and from court and other appointments, OHL will help program participants meet their short- and long-term recovery goals. OHL also maintains a Memorandum of Understanding with Teche Action Clinic, a Federally Qualified Health Center based in Franklin, LA, for the provision of medication assisted treatment, medication for opioid use disorder, infectious disease screenings (including HIV and viral Hepatitis A, B, and C), and physical healthcare for substance use disorder treatment clients. This partnership helps create a seamless continuum of care for program participants and the transportation assistance offered through the program will support their holistic recovery. The Project Director of this proposed program is currently the Program Director for OHL’s existing St. Mary Parish Drug Court program and has extensive experience providing substance use disorder treatment to a variety of populations, including those going through the St. Mary Parish Drug Court. Additionally, the Program Coordinator is a 20-year veteran of the drug court and resides in the parish. The rest of the staff will be hired based on their relevant experience with similar target populations and SUD/OUD treatment generally. As the largest SUD/OUD treatment provider in Louisiana, OHL is dedicated to serving the state’s most vulnerable populations with client-centered, evidence-based treatment and cultural humility. SAMHSA funding for the St. Mary Parish Drug Court Enhancement Program will support OHL’s efforts to “meet people where they are” and engage them in meaningful ways that support long-lasting behavioral change.
