Primary Department: Public Health Services
Primary Department Head/Elected Official: Leah Barton ─ Interim Executive Director
Secondary Department: N/A
Secondary Department Head/Elected Official:
Regular or Supplemental RCA: Regular RCA
Type of Request: Grant - Application
Project ID (if applicable): N/A
Vendor/Entity Legal Name (if applicable): Texas Opioid Abatement Fund Council
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):
title
Request by Public Health Services for approval to submit an application to the Texas Opioid Abatement Fund Council Community-Based Opioid Recovery Efforts Grant Program for grant funds in the amount of $250,000, with no required match, for the FY2025 Behavioral Health Reentry Bridge Initiative project.
end
Background and Discussion:
The Texas Opioid Abatement Fund Council (OAFC) released the FY25 Community-Based Opioid Recovery Efforts (CORE) Grant Program to fund evidence-based community initiatives aimed at remediating opioid-related harms across Texas. Harris County Public Health (HCPH) is eligible to apply for up to $250,000 under Regional Healthcare Partnership (RHP) Region 6. HCPH is seeking the court’s permission to submit an application. HCPH proposes to utilize the funds to implement the Behavioral Health Reentry Bridge Initiative, which will expand 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 Program (SUP), ACCESS reentry services cohort, and Behavioral Health - by introducing behavioral health and substance use screening at reentry points, improving service categorization, and streamlining access to recovery support.
Expected Impact:
These grant funds will support the hiring of a Peer Support Specialist and a Behavioral Health Case Manager to provide screening, service navigation, and case management. The initiative will also formalize referral pathways to Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) facilities through MOUs with community providers while collaborating with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office to establish a co-responder team that addresses behavioral health and substance use needs jointly. Through this initiative, HCPH will be able to establish comprehensive behavioral health and substance use screening for reentry populations, ensuring correct service categorization. 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 $250,000 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):
Infrastructure Initiative (Goal 2):
Economy Initiative (Goal 3):
Health Initiative (Goal 4): O4: Increase community health care capacity.
Climate/Resilience Initiative (Goal 5):
Housing Initiative (Goal 6):
Additional notes related to the Strategic Plan:
Prior Court Action (if any):
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Date |
Agenda Item # |
Action Taken |
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N/A |
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Location:
Address (if applicable): N/A
Precinct(s): Countywide
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Fiscal and Personnel Summary |
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Service Name |
Public Health Services |
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Current Fiscal Year Cost |
Annual Fiscal Cost |
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|
Labor |
Non-Labor |
Total |
Recurring Expenses |
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Funding Sources |
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|
Existing Budget |
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
|
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
|
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Total Existing Budget |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
Additional Budget Request (Requires Fiscal Review Request Form) |
|
|
|
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
|
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
|
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Total Additional Budget Request |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Total Funding Sources |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Grants - Proposed Budget (To be filled out by Grants staff only) |
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Labor |
Non-Labor |
Total |
No. of Grant Years |
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Local Match Source - Existing Budget: |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Local Match Source - Additional Budget Request: |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
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Grant Funds Applied for/Awarded (Total) |
$197,017 |
$52,983 |
$250,000 |
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Personnel(Fill out section only if requesting new PCNs) |
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Current Position Count for Service |
- |
- |
- |
- |
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Additional Positions Request |
- |
- |
- |
- |
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Total Personnel |
- |
- |
- |
- |
Anticipated Court Date: May 22, 2025
Anticipated Implementation Date (if different from Court date): May 22, 2025
Emergency/Disaster Recovery Note: Not an emergency, disaster, or COVID-19 related item
Contact(s) name, title, department: Brandon Maddox, Director, Office of Planning and Innovation, Public Health Services
Attachments (if applicable): Grant NOFO, Grant Opportunity Synopsis