"Catching Up With COSSAP" Newsletter - Third Edition 2020. Read and share with colleagues! No images? Click here The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA)-supported Comprehensive, Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Program (COSSAP) recognizes and supports National Recovery Month. Each September, we celebrate the millions of Americans who are in recovery from substance use and mental health disorders and the dedicated service providers across the nation who make recovery possible. Recovery Month spreads the positive message that prevention works, that treatment is effective, and that people can and do recover. On its eve, this August issue of Catching Up With COSSAP leads with two articles about the critical role of peer recovery support services (PRSS) during these extraordinary times and about helping individuals build recovery capital to advance along their paths to healing, wellness, and hope. Peer Recovery Support Services (PRSS): Supporting Recovery in Times of Crisis
PRSS: Building Recovery Capital When the COVID-19 pandemic emerged, life as we knew it came to a halt: With stay-at-home and social distancing guidance in place, many people experienced feelings of loneliness, anxiety, and depression. PRSS programs and peer specialists are providing critical emotional support to support recovery despite the challenges of the crisis, effectively engaging individuals through the use of new skills, new technologies, and virtual service delivery. Read more. Building up recovery capital—the sum of internal and external assets that can initiate and sustain recovery—is an essential goal of PRSS in supporting individuals on their paths toward healthier lives. Read about recent work by peer specialists (including recovery capital strategies developed by COSSAP grantees) here. Stimulants: Recent Trends and Prevention Resources The use of illicit stimulants and the misuse of prescription stimulants present a daunting public health challenge across the United States. In 2017, one million Americans experienced methamphetamine use disorder, nearly as many had cocaine use disorder, and more than half a million had a prescription stimulant use disorder. For information on selecting appropriate prevention strategies that focus on stimulant drugs and resources available to COSSAP grantees and others to increase their understanding of stimulants, read more. Reentering the Community from Incarceration: Housing Matters Researchers credit stay-at-home orders for slowing the spread of COVID-19, but for individuals in custody preparing for reentry into the community, “home” can be an ill-defined concept. Barriers to securing housing are exacerbated by a pandemic that has prompted many jurisdictions to grant early release to individuals who pose a minimal threat at a time when community services are often limited. Those on the front lines in the battle against substance abuse should know that opportunities for stable housing—a long-recognized strategy for facilitating successful reentry—are increasingly becoming available. Read more, including spotlights on the work of COSSAP grantees in Franklin County, Ohio, and Palm Beach County, Florida. Building an Organizational Culture That Values Law Enforcement Diversion Police leaders across the country have recognized the need to connect individuals with substance use disorders to treatment services through diversion programs. Critical to this effort is the necessity to build a culture within their own departments that embraces the mission and goals of front-end/pre-arrest diversion. For guidance on nurturing the three elements for developing that culture—effective communication, clear policies and protocols, and training—read more. View a webinar on the topic and explore the associated presentation. New BJA Collaborative Program Will Build Tribal Capacity to Reduce Overdoses Congratulations to tribal applicants from Minnesota, North Carolina, Washington State, and Wisconsin—successful candidates for the new Tribal Responses to Drug Overdoses program. Collaboratively supported by BJA’s COSSAP and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the initiative is designed to assist tribes in reducing overdoses among individuals involved in the criminal justice system. It aims to strengthen understanding of effective community responses to substance abuse, expand adoption of effective practices (including the Overdose Detection Mapping Application Program [ODMAP]), and build capacity in communities most impacted by the crisis. Read more. New Visualization Tools on PDMP TTAC Website Ease Searches The Prescription Drug Monitoring Program Training and Technical Assistance Center (PDMP TTAC) website recently added new features that make it easier for stakeholders to find information about PDMP operations, laws, and overdose statistics. PDMP information that was previously depicted in static maps and tables is now available through a robust, interactive data visualization tool. Read more and explore.
Publication
Webinars The COSSAP Digest is a biweekly compilation of COSSAP-developed publications, webinars, podcasts, and upcoming events. Law Enforcement and First Responder Diversion—Pathways to Diversion COSSAP Webinar: Cognitive Behavioral Treatment: Recognizing Criminal Thinking Patterns PDMP TTAC Webinar: Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Reporting to PDMPs COSSAP Webinar: Public Health Peer Support Models COSSAP Webinar: Closing the Gap: A Case Study on Collaborative Work Between First Responders and Recovery Support Services September is National Recovery Month! The 2020 theme is “Join the Voices for Recovery: Celebrating Connections.” COSSAP is excited to join colleagues and communities across the nation in spotlighting action and hope: prevention works, treatment is effective, and people can—and do—recover. Learn more and participate! Peer-to-Peer Learning: COSSAP's PRSSMI COSSAP’s Peer Recovery Support Services Mentoring Initiative (PRSSMI) supports programs, organizations, and jurisdictions in incorporating peer recovery support services into their portfolios of substance abuse intervention and treatment strategies. Facilitated by COSSAP TTA provider Altarum, the PRSSMI provides an opportunity for new or early-stage peer programs to be matched with and learn from an experienced program in a structured way. Learn more about the PRSSMI and apply today! New Partner Resources Communities nationwide looking for program models to reduce opioid addiction and overdose have a new online resource at their fingertips: the Brandeis Opioid Resource Center (BORC). This website offers more than 150 community-based program models across the continuum of care—from prevention and treatment to recovery and harm reduction— as well as resources that address the impacts of COVID-19. The Addiction Policy Forum launched a national initiative to help families navigate the complexities of addiction and find treatment for a loved one. The project includes a free 100-page resource workbook, Navigating Addiction and Treatment: A Guide for Families; a national awareness campaign; and online resources. BJA’s COSSAP is a collaborative effort that includes the training and technical assistance teams from Advocates for Human Potential, Inc.; the Altarum Institute; the Center for Health and Justice at TASC; the Institute for Intergovernmental Research; the National Criminal Justice Training Center of Fox Valley Technical College; the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program Training and Technical Assistance Center; and RTI International. |