Title
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Funds (Ordinance S-45801)
Description
Request to authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to prepare and submit an application for Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) grant assistance funds, and enter into an agreement to accept SAMHSA grant funds in an amount not to exceed $400,000 per year for a term of five years, with a total amount not to exceed $2,000,000. Further request authorization to enter into a Grant Agreement with La Frontera Arizona upon successful award of the grant, and for the City Treasurer to accept, and the City Controller to disburse, all funds related to this item if awarded.
Report
Summary
With City Council approval, the Prosecutor's Office applied for grant funds through SAMHSA in December 2016, to fund a Veterans Court service expansion project with the goal of providing equal access to substance use disorder treatment for veterans in Veterans Court. This application was successful. The Prosecutor's Office received an award of $907,332 to be divided over the course of three years. The grant project period runs from Sept. 30, 2017 through Sept. 29, 2020. Thus far, the project has been successful at providing access to substance use disorder treatment for veterans in Veterans Court that do not otherwise have access to no-cost treatment. The Prosecutor's Office seeks to continue this valuable program by seeking additional grant funding. Without additional funding the program is not sustainable. The grant announcement for this program has not yet been released by SAMHSA but will likely be released late summer or early fall. Our request for funding is based on prior grant announcements through SAMHSA funding adult treatment drug courts and an anticipation that the funding levels and application will remain largely the same.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has funds available to enhance or expand substance abuse treatment capacity in adult treatment drug courts. Veterans courts fall under this umbrella. This funding requires partnership with a provider organization who is directly involved in the proposed project and who will provide direct client treatment services. This provider must have substantial experience providing substance abuse treatment and comply with all local and state license, accreditation, and certification requirements. Our ongoing project treatment partner is La Frontera Arizona. Due to the success of the program thus far, if we apply we will seek an exception to the City Procurement process due to the fact that SAMHSA requires a commitment from a treatment partner in order to apply for grant funding.
La Frontera Arizona is the recommended partner due to their experience in working with Veterans Court, their knowledge of the processes and programs that are needed to fill the currently existing gaps in available treatment for justice involved veterans. Their veteran navigation services are unique to Veterans Court and are a natural and current connection with Veterans Court. La Frontera Arizona has the appropriate experience level, licensing, accreditation and certification requirements required by the grant. Thus far the partnership in the Veterans Court grant program has been cohesive and successful. Maintaining this partnership would also ensure continuity of services if awarded. Through this anticipated funding opportunity, the Veterans Court in partnership with La Frontera Arizona proposes to expand, enhance, and continue its current program by providing substance abuse treatment and prevention to Veterans Court clients who are ineligible or unable to access care and treatment through the Veterans Administration (VA) or other private health care services.
The City established Veterans Court in 2012. Since Veterans Court inception, an average of 500 veterans participate annually. As part of the program veterans often undergo intensive outpatient treatment to address dependency on alcohol, drugs, and/or to manage their mental illness. In most cases, the VA covers the cost of treatment, but in some cases, veterans are ineligible for services at the VA. In these cases, the veteran incurs the cost of counseling with a community agency. Often times the cost for such treatment can be crippling to the veteran's recovery and success in the program. If the veteran cannot afford treatment, they cannot be successful in the Veterans Court program. If awarded, this funding would continue to provide veterans in Veterans Court an equal opportunity for substance abuse treatment and related care, regardless of ability to pay.
Contract Term
The anticipated grant term is five years running through Sept. 30, 2025.
Financial Impact
No monetary or in-kind match requirement is anticipated.
Concurrence/Previous Council Action
The City Council authorized the Prosecutor's Office to apply for three years of funding for the City of Phoenix Veterans Court in partnership with La Frontera Arizona on Dec. 7, 2016.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Assistant City Manager Milton Dohoney, Jr. and the Law Department.