Project Grant H79TI086016

ARCH: ADULTS RE-ENTERING AND CHANGING HABITS - ABSTRACT HEALTH SERVICES CENTER, INC. (HSC) PROPOSES PROJECT ARCH (ADULTS RE-ENTERING AND CHANGING HABITS) TO PROVIDE EVIDENCE-BASED, PEER-ENGAGED SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER (SUD) SERVICES, CO-OCCURRING MENTAL HEALTH (MH) SERVICES, HIV AND VIRAL HEPATITIS (HCV) LINKAGE AND RISK REDUCTION SERVICES TO REDUCE SUBSTANCE-RELATED HARM AMONG ADULTS RE-ENTERING THE COMMUNITY FROM THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. THE TARGET AREA IS AN UNDERSERVED RURAL, HIGH POVERTY AREA THAT EXPERIENCES SIGNIFICANT NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES RELATED TO SUBSTANCE USE, INCLUDING OVERDOSE, POOR HEALTH OUTCOMES, FAMILY DISRUPTION, AND LEGAL SYSTEM INVOLVEMENT. PROJECT ARCH WILL SERVE THE PRIORITY POPULATION OF ADULTS RE-ENTERING THE COMMUNITY FROM THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, PARTICULARLY LOW-INCOME, MINORITY POPULATIONS, AS THESE GROUPS ARE UNDERSERVED IN THE TARGET AREA. THE TARGET SERVICE AREA IS LARGE, COVERING OVER 9,000 SQUARE MILES AND 14 ALABAMA COUNTIES (BLOUNT, CALHOUN, COOSA, CLEBURNE, CHAMBERS, CALHOUN, DEKALB, ETOWAH, RANDOLPH, SHELBY, ST. CLAIR, TALLAPOOSA, TALLADEGA, CLAY COUNTIES, AL). HSC HAS PROVIDED SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER SERVICES IN THE TARGET AREA FOR OVER 20 YEARS AND HAS THE CULTURAL KNOWLEDGE, INFRASTRUCTURE, AND LAW ENFORCEMENT AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS NECESSARY TO EXPAND AND ENHANCE SERVICES FOR RE-ENTERING PERSONS. PROJECT ARCH HAS FOUR MAIN GOALS: 1) INCREASE ACCESS TO SUBSTANCE DISORDER AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR PERSONS RE-ENTERING THE COMMUNITY FROM THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM THROUGH TARGETED INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES AND LONG-TERM AFTERCARE: 2) PROVIDE CASE MANAGEMENT FOCUSED ON RE-ENTRY NEEDS, JOB TRAINING, AND EDUCATIONAL SUPPORTS/WORKFORCE READINESS; 3) PROVIDE HIV/HARM REDUCTION SERVICES TO THE TARGET POPULATION THROUGH HIV COUNSELING, TESTING, AND REFERRAL (HIV CTR), LINKAGE TO HIV MEDICAL AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES, HEPATITIS B (HBV) AND HEPATITIS C (HCV) SCREENING AND REFERRAL, AND 4) INCREASE PEER SUPPORT AND RECOVERY COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR RE-ENTERING POPULATIONS WITH SUD CHALLENGES. ANNUALLY, PROJECT ARCH WILL ENROLL 100 PERSONS (500 OVER THE COURSE OF THE PROJECT). MEASURABLE OUTCOMES INCLUDE REDUCED RECIDIVISM, REDUCTION IN SERVICE AREA SUBSTANCE-RELATED OVERDOSES AND INCARCERATIONS, NUMBERS OF PERSONS RECEIVING SERVICES, EMPLOYMENT AND HOUSING IMPROVEMENTS, AND IMPROVED MENTAL HEALTH STATUS. INNOVATIVE SERVICE PROVISION COMPONENTS INCLUDE INCORPORATION OF TRANSPORTATION SUPPORTS, JOB TRAINING AND EDUCATION SERVICES, TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE, PEER SUPPORT AND LINKAGE SERVICES, USE OF TELEHEALTH APPROACHES TO ENHANCE RURAL HEALTHCARE, AND AN AREA-WIDE HARM MINI-CONFERENCE FOCUSED ON NEEDS OF RE-ENTRY POPULATIONS. THE PROPOSED PROJECT ARCH WILL PROVIDE CRITICAL SUBSTANCE USE SERVICE EXPANSION AND ENHANCEMENT FOR A POPULATION THAT FACES SIGNIFICANT STIGMA, DISCRIMINATION, AND LACK OF ACCESS TO SERVICES.