15PBJA22GG04477COAP

St. Lawrence County (NY)

FY 2022 COSSAP

Proposal Abstract

St. Lawrence County (NY) will expand medication-assisted treatment (MAT), peer support, and harm reduction activities for underserved and high-risk populations, including incarcerated individuals and victims of recent overdose. This project will serve the 108,505 residents of St. Lawrence County, located in northern New York State, immediately south of the U.S. border with Canada. The project’s service area may extend beyond county borders to neighboring Franklin (population 47,555), Jefferson (population 116,721), and Lewis (population 26,582) counties (2020 Census).

St. Lawrence County is large, rural, and subject to harsh winter weather. Typical barriers to treatment are made worse by transportation challenges, including limited bus routes, a shortage of drivers for public transit and volunteer transportation, rising fuel prices, and an unreliable medical transportation program. The Washington/Baltimore HIDTA Overdose Detection Mapping Application Program (ODMAP), an overdose mapping tool used by the county, indicates a 265% increase in the number of overdoses reported from 2019 to 2021. In addition, data from the St. Lawrence County Drug Task Force indicates significant increases in drug-related felonies (64%) and misdemeanors (90%) from 2018 to 2021.

The county’s opioid treatment program (OTP) will expand to provide MAT services at the county correctional facility. It will also continue to support the peer support services established through FY2020 COSSAP, which has helped reduce "no-shows" from 50% to 15%. The project will provide client, staff, and community education on overdose prevention and access to harm reduction resources through a new harm reduction/transportation specialist. Additionally, it will establish new harm reduction services, including needle exchange and syringe disposal. The project will also coordinate community awareness and stigma reduction media campaigns and community events.

Direct oversight of the project will be provided by the St. Lawrence County Opioid Rural Response (SLCORR) Committee, whose purpose is to reduce the morbidity and mortality of substance use disorder (SUD), including opioid use disorder (OUD). SLCORR is led by the St. Lawrence County Community Services Board (SLCCSB) and includes the following stakeholders: St. Lawrence County Community Services, St. Lawrence County Overdose Prevention Program, Seaway Valley Prevention Council, Maximizing Independent Living Center (MILC), and New Hope Transformation Ministries (DBA Grace House), a transitional living residence.

St. Lawrence County

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]

Canton, New York 13617 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.