H79TI084849

Rhode Island 2022 First Responders Project - The overall goal of the Rhode Island 2022 FR CARA Project is to reduce overdose deaths and increase warm handoff referrals to treatment and recovery support. Project staff will work with EMS and law enforcement to fortify existing partnerships to achieve this target. In addition, we aim to establish leave-behind programs, safe station programs, and mobile integrated healthcare / community paramedicine (MIH-CP) programs across the state. Finally, the project staff seeks to develop and implement evidence-based training, leverage the First Responder Workgroup, and establish data processes, protocols, and mechanisms that facilitate program surveillance.

Accidental drug overdose deaths have affected every community across Rhode Island. The population of focus for this project is first responders in Rhode Island with the intent of equipping them with naloxone, training, and tools to respond to those vulnerable to the opioid overdose epidemic and who have had an instance of overdose. First responders have an active role in addressing the overdose crisis in Rhode Island.

In 2021, emergency medical services (EMS) practitioners responded to 1,822 non-fatal opioid overdose-related emergencies, and law enforcement officers (LEOs) responded and administered naloxone on 260 occasions. When LEOs responded, they administered 412 doses of naloxone and saw improvement in 207 (77%) of the cases.

EMS and law enforcement officers responded to primarily white males between the ages of 25 and 64, with the majority between 35 and 44. However, our surveillance team has seen overdose death rates for Black and Hispanic Rhode Islanders increase over the last few years. From 2018 to 2020, Black Rhode Islanders' overdose death rates increased from 29.9 to 53.9, compared to 18.4 to 27.2 in Hispanic Rhode Islanders and 29.8 to 39.2 in white Rhode Islanders.

Unfortunately, despite the best efforts and amidst a pandemic, Rhode Islanders are still dying of overdoses. As of March 10, 2022, 420 individuals died of an accidental drug overdose in Rhode Island in the calendar year 2021. Therefore, we promote enhancing the first responder's role in preventing overdose deaths. We have seen over the years that equipping first responders with naloxone, enhancing their training, and encouraging them to refer patients to recovery and treatment services have resulted in a positive impact.

The project has five goals, each addressing a key requirement: access to naloxone, access to training, access to mechanisms for referral, access to an advisory leadership, and access to quality data. The project aims to train 3,000 EMS practitioners and refer approximately 900 suspected overdose patients to recovery and treatment services. In addition, the project aims to establish at least ten MIH-CP programs, ten new safe stations, and ten new leave-behind programs across the state.

Rhode Island Department Of Health

SAMHSA WAS GIVEN THE AUTHORITY TO ADDRESS PRIORITY SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT, PREVENTION AND MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS OF REGIONAL AND NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE THROUGH ASSISTANCE (GRANTS AND COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS) TO STATES, POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS OF STATES, INDIAN TRIBES AND TRIBAL ORGANIZATIONS, AND OTHER PUBLIC OR NONPROFIT PRIVATE ENTITIES. UNDER THESE SECTIONS, CSAT, CMHS AND CSAP SEEK TO EXPAND THE AVAILABILITY OF EFFECTIVE SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT AND RECOVERY SERVICES AVAILABLE TO AMERICANS TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF THOSE AFFECTED BY ALCOHOL AND DRUG ADDITIONS, AND TO REDUCE THE IMPACT OF ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE ON INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, COMMUNITIES AND SOCIETIES AND TO ADDRESS PRIORITY MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS OF REGIONAL AND NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE AND ASSIST CHILDREN IN DEALING WITH VIOLENCE AND TRAUMATIC EVENTS THROUGH BY FUNDING GRANT AND COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT PROJECTS. GRANTS AND COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS MAY BE FOR (1) KNOWLEDGE AND DEVELOPMENT AND APPLICATION PROJECTS FOR TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION AND THE CONDUCT OR SUPPORT OF EVALUATIONS OF SUCH PROJECTS, (2) TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, (3) TARGETED CAPACITY RESPONSE PROGRAMS (4) SYSTEMS CHANGE GRANTS INCLUDING STATEWIDE FAMILY NETWORK GRANTS AND CLIENT-ORIENTED AND CONSUMER RUN SELF-HELP ACTIVITIES AND (5) PROGRAMS TO FOSTER HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN, (6) COORDINATION AND INTEGRATION OF PRIMARY CARE SERVICES INTO PUBLICLY-FUNDED COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH CENTERS AND OTHER COMMUNITY-BASED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SETTINGS

93.243 - Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Projects of Regional and National Significance

Division of Grants Management [HHS - SAMHSA]

Providence, Rhode Island 02908 United States

Single Zip Code

First Responders-Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act Grants (TI-22-008)

Amendment Since initial award the total obligations have increased 300% from $800,000 to $3,200,000.