Samhsa TI-21-001 - alluvion health (alluvion) seeks to significantly enhance and expand comprehensive treatment, early intervention, and recovery support services to adolescents, transitional aged…

Samhsa TI-21-001 - alluvion health (alluvion) seeks to significantly enhance and expand comprehensive treatment, early intervention, and recovery support services to adolescents, transitional aged youth, and their families in north central montana coping with substance use disorders (SUD) and/or CO-occurring substance use and mental disorders (COD). Alluvion is a federally qualified health center (fqhc) located in great falls, MT that provides comprehensive, whole person care to the uninsured and underrepresented population of great falls and greater cascade county. Cascade county is a designated shortage area in the fields of dental, behavioral, and primary care. 14.5% of the current population lives below the poverty line. The population to be served is high-risk, as evidenced by the fact that cascade county exceeds the state and national averages in intentional self-harm, frequent mental distress, tobacco use, and binge drinking. Montana persistently ranks in the top three states with the most youth who DIE by suicide. Statistics reflect particularly alarming trends among cascade county youth. In a 2018 needs assessment report, 20.1% of 513 10TH graders surveyed in cascade county had engaged in binge drinking within the last 30 days, 23.4% had used marijuana and 11.8% had smoked cigarettes. Even more startling, 30.8% seriously considered suicide in the previous 12 months (compared to 18.8% nationally). Additionally, 475 kids that were homeless at some point during the 2020 year. Cascade county's jail and criminal justice system is grossly overburdened. The cascade county detention center is consistently over max capacity; up to 150 individuals over capacity in the last two years and there are no youth in-patient substance abuse treatment facilities in the state. Alluvion requests funding for the samsha youth and family tree program to increase early identification and access to SUD services for youth and their families to address the alarming statistics and care shortages in our region. Project measurable outcomes include: decreasing youth substance use in cascade county by expanding and enhancing treatment and recovery services to an additional 30% more adolescents, transitional aged youth, and their families annually; and increasing the capacity in youth-serving organizations to identify and reduce high-risk behaviors in students that may contribute to substance use. Alluvion will ensure recovery housing for tree program participants by contracting with local partners and enhance recovery and transitional services for youth with SUD who come into contact with the juvenile justice system by formalizing a juvenile drug treatment court. Alluvion will serve a total of 906 unduplicated individuals in the population of focus over the 5-year period; 100 in year 1; 130 in year 2; 170 in year 3; 220 in year 4; and 286 in year 5. A second measurable goal is to increase the capacity in youth-serving organizations to identify and reduce high-risk behaviors in students that may contribute to substance use by developing and providing training to targeted school districts and a referral process.