Agenda Item Request
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Authorize the County Manager to submit a grant application to the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) in response to the FY 2025 Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Program (COSSUP) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), with a total request of $1,300,000 over 36 months (June 1, 2026-May 31, 2029).
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Background and Purpose of Request
BJA released the FY 2025 COSSUP NOFO on a compressed timeline, with applications due May 11, 2026. Cumberland County Public Health (CCPH) is seeking authorization to respond. The County is a current COSSUP recipient (FY 2023 award, ongoing through Spring 2027), and this new grant would serve as a seamless continuation. The FY 2025 award's official project period opens June 1, 2026, though actual start is expected to be later in 2027, aligning directly with the expiration of the current grant.
The proposed project will reduce overdoses and recidivism among people with substance use disorders (SUD) and co-occurring disorders in Cumberland County Jail (CCJ) through coordinated screenings, assessments, and linkages to evidence-based care in the jail and community. It builds on proven work already underway, with key enhancements:
? Continued support for the existing Reentry Coordinator position
? A dedicated, full-time Project Coordinator to manage systems, coordinate across agencies, provide technical assistance, and lead grant reporting
? Strengthened coordination with behavioral health liaisons embedded in law enforcement agencies
Between January 1 and June 30, 2025 alone, the current COSSUP project achieved:
? Hired a Reentry Coordinator
? Screened 1,493 individuals at booking for suspected SUD
? Linked 394 individuals to recovery support services in the jail (case management, peer support, peer navigation, or MOUD)
? 56 individuals received case management in the community
? 33 individuals received peer navigation services in the community
? 34 individuals received 1:1 peer recovery coaching...
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