CARA FY26 Supporting Materials.docx

Supporting Materials

FY26 Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) Local Drug Crises Grant

Statutory Eligibility Requirements (SER) Checklist The SER Checklist can be used to ensure you have the required evidence to meet the CARA Local Drug Crises Statutory Eligibility Requirements.

Requirement 1: Entity Eligible to Receive Federal Grants Did you include:

· A signed statement of legal eligibility that says if the coalition is a 501(c)(3) organization If the applicant is a fiscal agent applying on behalf of a coalition, did you include:

· Memorandum of Understanding between the coalition and the fiscal agent

Requirement 2: Disclosure of Current or Former Drug-Free Communities Support Program Funding Did you include:

· Disclosure of Previous DFC Funding

Requirement 3: Statement of Rates of Opioid and Methamphetamine Use

· A statement describing the current rates of misuse of opioids and/or methamphetamine within the target community or population. This information should be based on the most recent and reliable data available and should clearly indicate the sources used.

Requirement 4: CARA Program Evaluation Requirements

· An evaluation and performance measurement plan that outlines how you will provide data every two years on core measures for prescription drug use in at least three grades between sixth and twelfth grade.

NOFO-Specific Glossary and Acronyms Achievable: Attainable within a given timeframe and with available project resources.

Activities: The actual events or actions that take place as a part of the program.

Allowable cost: A cost incurred by a recipient that is:

Reasonable for the performance of the award Allocable In conformance with, or incorporated by reference, any limitations or exclusions set forth in the federal cost principles applicable to the organization incurring the cost or the Notice of Award (NOA) as to type or amount Consistent with regulations, policies and procedures of the recipient that apply uniformly to both federally supported and other activities of the organization Determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles; and not included as a cost in any other federally supported award (unless specifically authorized by statute).

Authorized Organization Representative: The AOR is the representative of the applicant/recipient organization with authority to act on the organization’s behalf in matters related to the award and administration of grants. In signing a grant application, this individual agrees that the organization will assume the obligations imposed by applicable Federal statutes and regulations and other terms and conditions of the award, including any assurances, if a grant is awarded. These responsibilities include overseeing the financial aspects of the grant and the performance of the grant-supported project or activities as specified in the approved application. This person must be an employee of the applicant/recipient organization.

Community-level Change: Change that occurs within the overall population of the community.

DFC & CARA Me: CARA’s Management and Evaluation system used for grant communications and progress reporting in concert with CDC’s grants management system GrantSolutions. DFC & CARA Me is also used as a learning center for award recipients.

Emerging Drug Use: Substance use disorder within an area involving a sudden increase in demand for particular substance use treatment services relative to previous demand; and a lack of resources in the area to address the emerging problem.

Fiscal Agent: Fiscal Agents are those entities or organizations with high-quality financial and management expertise that agree to serve as the legal applicant for DFC funding when community-based coalitions are unable to apply on their own behalf. The fiscal agent serves to administer and protect the grant funds to further the nonprofit agency's mission. The fiscal agent assumes all responsibility for the grant and the grant requirements by providing timely reporting to allow CDC to monitor performance while the work is carried out and performed by the community-based coalition. The relationship with the coalition is established prior to application for funding though a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

Key Personnel: Individuals, in addition to the principal investigator/program director (PI/PD), identified by the operational division in the Notice of Award (NOA) that are considered critical to the project (i.e., their removal or absence from the project would have a significant impact on the project). The PI/PD is always considered both a “key person” and a “principal.” Other key personnel generally are not considered “principals” for purposes of suspension and debarment.

Local Drug Crisis: As documented by local data in the area being served by the coalition, a local drug crisis is a sudden increase in the use of opioids or methamphetamine; the use of prescription medications, specifically opioids or methamphetamine, that is significantly higher than the national average over a sustained period of time; or a sudden increase in opioid-related deaths.

Measurable: Amount of expected change that is possible or a way to quantify an activity or its results. It also means that the source of and mechanism for collecting measurement data can be identified and that collection of the data is feasible for the project. A baseline measurement is required to document change (e.g., to measure the percentage of increase or decrease). If an applicant plans to use a specific measurement instrument, it is recommended that the instrument is incorporated into the outcome.

Objectives: What is to be accomplished during a specific period of time to move toward achievement of a goal. Measurable objectives must include the following elements:

The type of change How much change will occur, including the specific amount of increase or decrease The specific population to be addressed (if population is youth, the ages of youth or grade level are identified) A specific date (month/year) by when change will be accomplished; and indicates how change will be measured Pass-through Program: A program where the recipient’s role is to select subrecipients that are expected to provide the services that are the purpose of the grant, coordinating and overseeing their activities, and providing the administrative support needed to meet OPDIV requirements. Recipients under the CARA Program are not permitted to run their program as a pass-through program.

Program Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI): The individual(s) designated by the recipient to direct the project or program being supported by the grant. The PD/PI is responsible and accountable to officials of the recipient organization for the proper conduct of the project, program, or activity. The PD/PI cannot be the same person as the AOR.

Realistic: Within the scope of the project and propose reasonable programmatic steps that can be implemented within a specific time frame. Recipient: Conduct the day-to-day operations of the grant program.

Rural: According to the Drug-Free Communities Act of 1997, rural is defined as a county with a population that does not exceed 30,000 individuals.

Specific: Includes the “who” and “what” of program activities. Use only one action verb to avoid issues with measuring success.

Strategy: An overarching strategic plan, action, initiative, or policy approach designed to achieve a key or primary aim or objective the coalition intends to achieve intended results.

Supplement, not supplant: A form of maintenance of effort requirement that specifies that federal funds received may not be used to replace existing state, local, or agency funds with federal funds. Federal funds may be used to supplement existing activities. Existing state, local, or agency funds for a project may not be replaced by federal funds and reallocated for other organizational expenses. The baseline for a supplement-not-supplant requirement may be the recipient’s previous fiscal year or another baseline year or period.

Time-bound: Provide a timeframe indicating when the outcome will be measured or a time by when the outcome will be met.

Statistics According to the 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey:

· 22 percent of high school students reported consuming alcohol

· 17 percent reported current marijuana use

· 4 percent reported current prescription opioid misuse

· Female high students were more likely than their peers to have used or misused substances Nearly 1 in 4 female students currently drank alcohol and nearly 1 in 5 currently used marijuana

· 4 in 10 students experienced persistent feelings of sadness and hopelessness and 2 in 10 seriously considered attempting suicide

According to the CDC:

· Drug overdose deaths among 15- to 19-year-olds doubled from 2019 to 2022.

· From 2022 to 2023, the number of drug overdose deaths involving any opioid decreased 3.0% from 81,806 to 79,358.

· In 2023, approximately 105,000 drug overdose deaths occurred.

· In 2023, drug overdose deaths involving any opioids (79,358) accounted for 75.6% of drug overdose deaths overall.

· In 2023, drug overdose death counts and rates were highest for males (74,189 – rate=44.3) and persons 35-44 (27,005 - rate=60.8).

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