The west virginia justice and community services section of the division of administrative services will use funds to implement the quick response team (QRT), law enforcement assisted diversion…

The West Virginia Justice and Community Services Section of the Division of Administrative Services received a $7,000,000 Project Grant award from the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) under the Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Program (CFDA 16.838). The funds will be used to implement the Quick Response Team (QRT), Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD), and Angel Early Intervention Expansion Program, collectively referred to as the QLA-E program. The goal is to reduce overdose deaths by 10% annually and increase referrals, entry, and retention in substance use disorder treatment across 24 counties in West Virginia. The project will be implemented in partnership with the West Virginia Office of Drug Control Policy and will be evaluated by Marshall University's Division of Community Health.

The west virginia justice and community services section of the division of administrative services will use funds to implement the quick response team (QRT), law enforcement assisted diversion (lead), and angel early intervention expansion program, collectively abbreviated as the QLA-e program. Qrts use a team of law enforcement, emergency management service (EMS) staff, and a certified peer specialist to follow up in person with individuals in the community after overdose events reported by EMS and/or emergency departments. Similarly, lead is an evidence-based approach and structured program to enable diversion for adults with a substance use disorder (SUD) or CO-occurring disorder from the criminal justice system to community-based, treatment services. Finally, the angel initiative is a proactive approach that allows the west virginia state police to refer individuals with a SUD to treatment when they present to a state police detachment seeking assistance for their SUD. By the conclusion of the project, QLA-e will be implemented in 24 counties: boone, braxton, clay, fayette, gilmer, greenbrier, jackson, logan, marion, mason, mingo, monroe, nicholas, pleasants, pocahontas, preston, putnam, ritchie, roane, summers, taylor, wayne, webster, and wirt counties. The primary goals of the project are to reduce overdose deaths by 10% each year and to increase the number of individuals referred to, entering, and staying in SUD treatment. DAS/JCS has partnered with the west virginia office of drug control policy (odcp) in the implementation, monitoring, oversight, and sustainment of the proposed project. Marshall universitys division of community health will conduct formal process and outcome evaluations.