The new york state unified court system (UCS) aims to reduce overdose deaths among justice-involved individuals by enhancing the capacity of local jurisdictions to rapidly respond to substance use…

The new york state unified court system (UCS) aims to reduce overdose deaths among justice-involved individuals by enhancing the capacity of local jurisdictions to rapidly respond to substance use disorders at the first point of contact with the courts. The proposed new york state overdose intervention initiative will support six local court sites that are high priority areas, with an annual increase in overdose death rates exceeding 50 percent to design and implement a program to rapidly connect court users at high risk of overdose to lifesaving treatment and recovery support services. The UCS will work collaboratively with its partners to engage in a planning process with the communities to identify allowable grant funding to serve the unique needs of each court, while leveraging state resources. This project will be structured in multiple phases and provide individualized training and grant resources to meet the needs of each site. Selected sites will undergo a vigorous planning process that includes an in-person convening of court teams to participate in cross systems training, peer to peer learning, and facilitated strategic planning. Court sites will engage multidisciplinary teams to understand how the opioid epidemic is impacting their community, identify resources in the region that can be shared/accessed, and develop a detailed action plan that will be supported by technical assistance and grant funding. Additionally, UCS seeks to provide intense training and technical assistance to assist in the implementation of the sites strategic plans. All court sites will implement individualized strategies to prioritize and expedite treatment and recovery services for individuals entering the court system at high risk of overdose as well as family members who may need treatment or be impacted by substance use. Sites will establish or enhance public health, behavioral health, and public safety collaborations to better serve individuals entering the legal system. Allowable grant activities that local courts may choose to implement include: comprehensive screening for substance use and CO-occurring mental health disorders; expanding or implementing peer recovery support services; increasing evidence-based and culturally appropriate interventions; or enhancing linkages to evidence-based practices for opioid use and stimulant use disorder treatment including medication assisted treatment. Policies, procedures, and other relevant project materials related to implementation and operations will be developed with the support of technical assistance.