Thursday, November 21, 2024
11/21/2024
The Mental Health and Anti-Addiction Services Administration (MHAASA) of Puerto Rico will implement the Fiona Recovery Project to provide services to 500,000 emotionally affected survivors of Hurricane Fiona of 2022 to achieve stability/recovery through short crisis interventions in the 78 declared municipalities, screening for SMI/SUD/OUD with clinical interventions by 6 Mobile Crisis Teams (MCT) comprised of BH professionals, and harm reduction (naloxone and fentanly strip distribution and training on use) to prevent opioid overdose. The need for the project is based on damages caused by Category I Hurricane Fiona of September 20, 2022 which impacted PR with sustained winds of up to 85 miles per hour, causing loss of electrical power and water services for over 80% of households and businesses in some areas, 35 inches of rain, sheltering of 507 refugees in 92 shelters of 31 municipalities, road destruction and 44 direct or indirect deaths. Based on the PAS Hotline's Immediate and Regular Services Projects with FEMA/SAMHSA funds, Fiona affected all ages and genders (56.5 female/43% male/0.5 transgender served) who were 85% Hispanic and Spanish-speaking. Based on the current continuing behavioral health (BH) needs of survivors, MHAASA proposes a 1-year project to achieve the following summarized goals and objectives: G1) Mitigate increases in misuse and more severe and long-lasting MH/SU conditions by providing evidence-based interventions; G2) Capacitate a broad-based workforce to address BH needs of survivors of the Fiona disasterf to prevent morel serious effects such as opioid overdose or suicide. Objectives, aligned with the Needs Assessment are: O1. Achieve emotional stabilization of at least 90% of survivors intervened through six (6) 24-hours Mobile Crisis Teams (MCT) of clinicians that serve survivors in the 12 PR health regions; O2. Screen and assess needs of 100% of survivors with symptoms of emotional crisis for MA, SU, or co-occurring disorders, using SBIRT tools; O3. Link to EB treatment at least 95% of survivors assessed with SMI/SED/SUD/OUD at the most appropriate available level of care; O4. Provide opioid overdose prevention, through the SOR and PDO Projects, through the Unit for Capacitation ("UCAT") of MHAASA, training peers, first responders and community providers to recognize and use naloxone; O5. Expand harm reduction through fentanyl strip and naloxone distribution in coordination with MHAASA's SOR and PDO projects, ensuring compliance with all requirements; O6. Ensure linkage to peer, recovery, vocational, employment, housing, transportation and other support services of survivors attended by MCT's; O7. Enhance and expand BH workforce of project at state level, including trained peers; O8. Increase knowledge and skills of at least 80% of peers, first responders and other providers to recognize symptoms of MH and SU disorders in adults and children impacted by a disaster; O9. Strengthen partnerships of the PAS Hotline by signing at least 3 new MOU's to facilitate access of survivors to services; O10. Recruit and support a culturally diverse staff to serve survivors of all ages, genders, gender identities, sexual orientations, ethnicities, and races, applying CLAS; O12. Strengthen collaboration with SAMHSA supported TA Centers for T/TA. The proposed project will implement SBIRT, MI, CBT, MAT, RTSH and ACT EBPs to achieve survivors' recovery. Data collection, analysis and reporting will be supported by a 0.5 FTE Evaluator and full-time Data Entry, ensuring EBP fidelity and compliance with GPRA/SPARS data requirements. A total of about $4.3 million is requested for the project's one-year grant period.
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).
