MHMR of tarrant county (MHMR) requests funding for BJA-2023- 171527, category 1: local application, subpopulation 1A

The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) awarded a $1,600,000 Project Grant under the Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and other Substances Use Program (CFDA 16.838) to MHMR of Tarrant County, a local government entity in Texas. Through this 3-year grant, MHMR will focus on expanding treatment, recovery, and supportive housing services for individuals in the Tarrant County justice system who have substance use disorders, including co-occurring mental health conditions. Key objectives include increasing access to evidence-based substance use treatment, improving psychological well-being and family stability, and promoting long-term recovery and independent living. MHMR plans to achieve these goals by enhancing court-based programs, strengthening recovery housing, and implementing the Nurturing Families program. The award will also fund program evaluation efforts by MHMR's research division.

The tarrant county (TC) comprehensive opioid, stimulant, and substance use site-based program (COSSUP) initiative will focus on treatment and recovery services in court-based programs and strengthen supportive housing resources for individuals in recovery. The geographic area of focus for this program is tarrant county, an urban community of 2.08 million residents including the cities of fort worth and arlington. The primary target populations are individuals or families who are either justice involved or at risk of becoming justice-involved and have a history of alcohol and/or drug problems, including CO-occurring mental health disorders, who are in or seeking recovery, along with their family members and significant others. MHMR will use category 1A funds to propose advancing the development of the recovery-oriented system of care by transforming substance use disorder treatment services for families with children and/or justice-involved individuals who have a history of alcohol and/or drug problems, including CO-occurring mental health disorders, from episodic treatment events to a long-term recovery focus. The primary goal is to improve the public safety of the community, support the welfare of children, and promote family stability impacted by (PARENTAL) substance use disorders (SUD) and other related concerns, through participation in the nurturing families program, and/or peer support and recovery housing for individuals residing in the homeless shelters, participating in the tarrant county family recovery court (FRC) program and/or pine street residential unit. Secondary goals include: (1) identify and refer families and individuals to substance use disorder treatment services who are homeless, or involved in FRC/drug court services, or at pine street in the efforts to increase/streamline and improve access to treatment; (2) reduce substance use and improve the psychological well-being of participants; (3) increase permanency by reducing the effect of substance use and trauma through the provision of safe and stable housing; and (4) increase the participants ability to live independently and responsibly. MHMR research division serves as the evaluator for the proposed project.