Primary Department: Public Health Services
Primary Department Head/Elected Official: Leah Barton - Executive Director
Secondary Department: N/A
Secondary Department Head/Elected Official:
Regular or Supplemental RCA: Supplemental RCA
Type of Request: Grant - Application
Project ID (if applicable): N/A
Vendor/Entity Legal Name (if applicable): Texas Opioid Abatement Fund Council (OAFC)
MWBE Contracted Goal (if applicable): N/A
MWBE Current Participation (if applicable): N/A
Justification for 0% MWBE Participation Goal: N/A - Goal not applicable to request
Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable): 15%
Justification for 0% Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable): N/A - Rate is not 0% and is listed above.
Request Summary (Agenda Caption):
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Request by Public Health Services for approval to submit an application to the Texas Opioid Abatement Fund Council for grant funds in the amount of $750,000, with no required match, for the FY26 Community-Based Opioid Recovery Efforts (CORE) Multi-Year Grant program.
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Background and Discussion:
In October 28, 2025, Harris County Public Health was awarded $250,000 for one year through the Texas Opioid Abatement Fund Council's FY25 Community-based Opioid Recovery Efforts (CORE) Grant Program. This initiative will fund evidence-based community initiatives aimed at remediating opioid-related harms within Harris County, including providing medication assisted treatment and behavioral health care support to justice-involved individuals within the County. The Texas Opioid Abatement Fund Council recently launched a multi-year grant RFP to expand the CORE program to further reduce opioid misuse across Texas. HCPH is seeking the court's permission to apply for additional funds from the agency in the amount of $750,000 over three years.
Expected Impact:
HCPH will utilize the funds to implement and expand the Behavioral Health Reentry Bridge Initiative, which will increase behavioral health and substance use services for justice-involved individuals, focusing on those exiting the Harris County Women’s Jail. This initiative will strengthen three existing HCPH programs - the Substance Use Prevention Program (SUP), ACCESS (reentry services), and Behavioral Health Services - by introducing behavioral health and substance use screening at reentry points, improving service categorization, and streamlining access to recovery support. In addition, this initiative will increase timely referrals to MAT services and substance use recovery programs through formalized community partnerships and improve continuity of care for justice-involved individuals, reducing recidivism and promoting behavioral health recovery. Overall, this funding will strengthen service capacity across the HCPH’s Substance Use Prevention, Behavioral Health, and ACCESS programs, enhancing equity and access for high-need populations in Harris County.
Alternative Options:
The Court could deny HCPH’s request to apply for the grant. This would forgo up to $750,000 in funding needed to strengthen reentry behavioral health and substance use services. Existing service gaps in screening, referral, and recovery navigation for the reentry population would remain unaddressed, contributing to poor behavioral health outcomes and increased system costs.
County Strategic Plan Goal: 4. Improve physical and mental health outcomes across all communities.
County Strategic Plan Objective: O: Increase access to quality health care, including preventive and behavioral health.
Justice/Safety Initiative (Goal 1): D1: Enhance reentry program support.
Infrastructure Initiative (Goal 2): Choose an item.
Economy Initiative (Goal 3): Choose an item.
Health Initiative (Goal 4): Choose an item.
Climate/Resilience Initiative (Goal 5): Choose an item.
Housing Initiative (Goal 6): Choose an item.
Additional notes related to the Strategic Plan:
Prior Court Action (if any):
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Precinct(s): Countywide
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Anticipated Court Date: 1/29/2026
Anticipated Implementation Date (if different from Court date): 2/10/2026
Emergency/Disaster Recovery Note: Not an emergency, disaster, or ARPA related item
Contact(s) name, title, department: Dr. Ericka Brown, Director of Community Health and Wellness Division, Public Health Services
Attachments (if applicable): RFA, Grant Synopsis, Resolution Letter