Project Grant H79TI083601

FAMILY TREE - THE FORT BEND REGIONAL COUNCIL ON SUBSTANCE ABUSE'S FAMILY TREE PROJECT IS A COUNTY-WIDE, COMMUNITY BASED PROGRAM DEVELOPED BY AN ARRAY OF COMMUNITY PARTNERS IN RESPONSE TO SAMHSA, CSAT'S YOUTH AND FAMILY TREE REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS (TI-21-001), TO PROVIDE SERVICES IN FORT BEND COUNTY, TEXAS ONE OF THE MOST DIVERSE COUNTIES IN THE U.S. AND ONE OF THE MOST UNDERSERVED IN TERMS OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH. THE LEAD APPLICANT IS THE FORT BEND REGIONAL COUNCIL ON SUBSTANCE ABUSE, INC. A LICENSED, NON-PROFIT SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER TREATMENT ORGANIZATION. THE LEAD PARTNER IN THIS PROJECT IS TEXAS STATE TECHNICAL COLLEGE. THE COLLEGE IS WITNESSING SUBSTANCE ABUSE AMONG TRANSITIONALLY AGED YOUTH. AS A TRADE SCHOOL, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT THEIR STUDENTS SUCCEED. THE COLLEGE IS WITNESSING TRANSITIONAL AGED STUDENTS EXPERIENCING ACADEMIC FAILURE, HOMELESSNESS AND MENTAL ILLNESS. THE FORT BEND COUNCIL IS PROPOSING TO COLLABORATE WITH THE COLLEGE TO CREATE SYSTEMS THAT ILL REACH A GREATER NUMBER OF YOUTH IN THIS COMMUNITY. COMMUNITY PARTNERS INCLUDE, ACCESSHEALTH A FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH CLINIC (FQHC) THAT IS ALSO A MAT PROVIDER, TEXANA THE COUNTY'S LMHA AND THE FORT BEND COMMUNITY PREVENTION COALITION. THE FAMILY TREE PROJECT WILL FOCUS ON TRADITIONALLY UNDERSERVED YOUTH AND THEIR PRIMARY CAREGIVERS ACROSS FORT BEND COUNTY. OUR COUNTY IS OFTEN RECOGNIZED AS THE "NEW AMERICA" DUE TO ITS DIVERSE RACIAL AND ETHNIC MINORITY POPULATIONS. THROUGH CONTINUOUS QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PRACTICES AND COLLABORATION, THE FAMILY TREE TEAM WILL ENHANCE AND EXPAND COMPREHENSIVE, INTEGRATED TRAUMA-INFORMED, EVIDENCE-BASED TREATMENT FOR SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS AND CO-OCCURRING SUBSTANCE USE AND MENTAL DISORDERS. THIS WILL BE PROVIDED THROUGH INTENSIVE OUTPATIENT APPROACHES FOCUSING ON EARLY INTERVENTION AND RECOVERY SUPPORT SERVICES. THIS WILL INCLUDE SERVICES FOR FEMALES AND RACIAL/ETHNIC MINORITY TRANSITIONAL AGED YOUTH (AGES 16-25) AND THEIR FAMILIES. FORT BEND COUNCIL'S PARTNERSHIP WITH TEXAS STATE TECHNICAL COLLEGE ENHANCES OUR ABILITY TO FOCUS EFFORTS OF THE FAMILY TREE PROJECT ON UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS ( E.G., AFRICAN AMERICAN AND HISPANIC) AND REACH THEIR CAREGIVERS. IN THE INITIAL PROJECT YEAR, 50 YOUTH WILL BE SERVED. IN THE ADDITIONAL 4 YEARS, EACH YEAR, 100 NEW YOUTH AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS WILL RECEIVE PROJECT SERVICES. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF YOUTH SERVED IN THE 5 YEAR PROJECT WILL BE 450. FAMILY TREE WILL INCREASE THE NUMBER OF TRANSITIONAL AGED YOUTH SCREENED FOR SUBSTANCE USE AND MENTAL HEATH DISORDERS. THIS PROJECT WILL IMPROVE TREATMENT SYSTEMS FOR THESE VULNERABLE YOUTH THROUGH COMMUNITY COOPERATION AND SERVICE INTEGRATION THAT RELIES ON EVIDENCE-BASED SUBSTANCE USE AND MENTAL HEALTH INTERVENTION APPROACHES THAT INCLUDE FAMILY MEMBERS AND PRIMARY SUPPORTS.