Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Grants Focus on Local Resources, Drug Monitoring

Applications are now being accepted for the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Site-based Program (COAP) grants, which were created to focus on site-based solutions specific to impacted regions.

According to the funding announcement, 80 opioid abuse grants will be awarded up to $5 million for three different categories based on the proposed project and size of jurisdiction.

Eligible applicants include state, city and county governments, as well as federally recognized tribal governments and special district governments.

Grant funds will be divided between three different categories:

Category 1: Locally Driven Responses to the Opioid Epidemic

Funds distributed for projects in this category will be used to develop locally-driven opioid responses that expand access to supervision, treatment and recovery support services in the criminal justice system, as well as provide support to law enforcement and first responder diversion programs for non-violent drug offenders. Funds can also be used for programs to promote education and other prevention activities, as well as to address the needs of children impacted by the opioid epidemic.

Awards amounts in this category are broken down by jurisdiction size:

Subcategory 1A: An urban area or large county with a population size greater than 500,000, with a maximum award amount of $1.2 million.

Subcategory 1B: A suburban area or medium-sized county with a population between 100,000 and 500,000, and a maximum award amount of $900,000.

Subcategory 1C: A rural area or small county with a population fewer than 100,000 or a federally recognized Indian tribe, with a maximum award of $600,000.

Eligible activities to be funded include:

• Establish pre-arrest or post-arrest law enforcement or other first responder diversion programs
• Support law enforcement in identifying individuals in need of substance abuse treatment services
• Develop programs that assist law enforcement in rapidly responding to overdose situations where children are impacted
• Connect individuals at risk of overdose or survivors of overdose with substance abuse and behavioral health providers
• Provide transitional or recovery housing
• Establish court-based intervention programs
• Develop programs to address programs in rural or tribal communities
• Purchase and distribute tamper-proof drug-collection boxes
• Implement an overdose fatality review team

Category 2: Statewide Implementation, Enhancement and Evaluation Projects

This category aims to support states in their effort to implement, enhance and evaluate effective opioid-related efforts in the criminal justice system.

Subcategory 2A: States can request up to $5 million to assist six different geographical areas with implementing new opioid-intervention programs, or $3 million to assist three different geographical areas.

Subcategory 2B: Funds in this area must be used by states to enhance or evaluate existing opioid-intervention programs in at least three different geographical areas.

Subcategory 2C: Funds in this area can be used by states to both implement new programs and evaluate existing programs.

Eligible activities to be funded are the same as in Category 1, but at the statewide level.

Category 3: Harold Rodgers PDMP Implementation and Enhancement Projects

Funds in this category should be used to strengthen the nation’s PDMP system and support enhancements to PDMPs that improve clinical decision making and prevent the abuse and diversion of controlled substances.

Applications for COAP grants are due by June 5.

Apply for a COAP grant online at grants.gov.