15PBJA22GG04457COAP

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) is applying for Category 2 funds in the amount of $6,000,000 to support the "Creating an Ecosystem of Recovery Upon Re-Entry: Expanding Peer Recovery Specialist & Housing Services Across Minnesota" project. MDH will utilize the Recovery Ready Ecosystem model to uplift peer recovery support services, recovery community organizations (RCOs), and housing support organizations as primary agents of change. Together, the work of these organizations can break the cycle of recidivism, homelessness, and overdose while providing justice-involved Minnesotans a pathway to long-term recovery.

MDH is proposing to:

- Train currently incarcerated people as peer recovery specialists
- Expand the statewide culturally specific certified peer recovery specialist workforce
- Expand release planning and peer recovery support services within the Department of Corrections
- Increase the availability of housing and housing support services in areas with high rates of overdose

The proposed activities align with the following allowable activities:
1) Evidence-based substance use disorder treatment related to opioids, stimulants, and other illicit drugs, such as MAT, as well as harm reduction activities and recovery support services (50% of budget)
2) Transitional or recovery housing and peer recovery support services (21% of budget)
3) Embedding social workers, peers, and/or persons with lived experience at any intercept of the Sequential Intercept Model (10%)
The remaining 19% of funds will support MDH staff time, travel, and administrative functions.

MDH proposes to fund a total of 11 sites: Minnesota Recovery Connection, the Department of Corrections, seven RCOs located in geographically diverse regions, and two housing support organizations to be selected via request for proposal within six months of award. All sites were selected based on public health surveillance data highlighting geographic areas of the worst disparities in overdose and populations at greatest risk for overdose. None of the proposed sites are current BJA COSSAP funded sites.

MDH is seeking both Priority Considerations 1(A) and 1(B). MDH proposes to fund Minnesota Recovery Connection, the leading culturally specific recovery community organization in Minnesota, with 50% of the annual award ($1,000,000) to expand the certified peer recovery specialist workforce across the state with a particular focus on increasing the number of people with lived experience of incarceration and that identify as non-white that become certified peer recovery specialists. Documentation of the proposed activities that meet requirements of Priority 1(A) and 1(B) is available on pages 5-12 and 17-18 of the MDH proposal narrative.

Minnesota Department Of Health

THE COMPREHENSIVE OPIOID, STIMULANT, AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE PROGRAM (COSSAP) AIMS TO REDUCE THE IMPACT OF OPIOIDS, STIMULANTS, AND OTHER SUBSTANCES ON INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES BY SUPPORTING COMPREHENSIVE, COLLABORATIVE INITIATIVES. COSSAP FUNDING PROVIDES NECESSARY RESOURCES THAT ALLOW COMMUNITIES TO RESPOND TO ILLICIT SUBSTANCE USE AND MISUSE TO REDUCE OVERDOSE DEATHS, PROMOTE PUBLIC SAFETY, AND SUPPORT ACCESS TO TREATMENT AND RECOVERY SERVICES IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. COSSAP SUPPORTS STATES, UNITS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT, AND TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS TO PLAN, DEVELOP, AND IMPLEMENT COMPREHENSIVE EFFORTS THAT IDENTIFY, RESPOND TO, TREAT, AND SUPPORT THOSE IMPACTED BY ILLICIT OPIOIDS, STIMULANTS, AND OTHER DRUGS. THE PROGRAM ALSO PROMOTES CROSS-SYSTEM PLANNING AND COORDINATION TO DELIVER A BROAD RANGE OF EVIDENCE-BASED, CULTURALLY RELEVANT INTERVENTIONS. MORE INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND AT: HTTPS://BJA.OJP.GOV/PROGRAM/COSSAP/OVERVIEW.

16.838 - Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Program

Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) [DOJ - OJP]

Saint Paul, Minnesota 55155-0975 United States

Single Zip Code

BJA FY 22 Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Site-based Program (O-BJA-2022-171280)

Amendment Since initial award the End Date has been extended from 09/30/25 to 09/30/26.