Funding Information on SAMHSA
Criminal Justice Grants
Jon D. Berg M.Ed., LCPC
Public Health Advisor, Criminal Justice Programs
Center for Substance Abuse Treatment
Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
NADCP National Drug Court Training
Conference
July 27, 2015
SAMHSA’s Mission
 To reduce the impact of substance abuse and
mental illness on America's communities.
• To prevent substance abuse and mental illness
where possible,
• To target effective substance abuse and mental
health services to the people most in need, and;
• To translate research more effectively and more
rapidly into the general health care system.
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SAMHSA’S STRATEGIC INITIATIVES:
FY 2015-2018
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1.
Prevention
of
Substance
Abuse and
Mental
Illness
2. Health
Care and
Health
Systems
Integration
3. Trauma
and Justice
4.Recovery
Support
5. Health
Information
Technology
6.Workforce
Development
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Trauma & Justice Strategic Initiative:
Activities in FY 2015
Integrate Trauma-Informed Approach Across Multiple Public
Health Service Sectors through Coordinated Technical
Assistance Strategy.
 Develop and Disseminate SAMHSA’s Concept of Community
Trauma.
 Promote Early Diversion from Criminal and Juvenile Justice
 Incorporate Evidence-Supported Behavioral Health Innovations
in Criminal and Juvenile Justice.
 Systematically Integrate Behavioral Health into Disaster
Preparedness, Response and Recovery Through TA, Training,
and Partnerships.

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SAMSHA and Criminal Justice
SAMHSA’s criminal justice grant activities center around
treatment services related to drug courts, offender reentry,
early diversion from jails, early intervention to prevent
deeper systems penetration, and community behavioral
health flexibility.
 CSAT’s criminal justice budget has expanded in the past few
fiscal years from approximately $23 M to $78 M –
• Bipartisan support of our CJ efforts and Drug Courts.
• Approximately $50 M annually is committed to treatment
drug court activities.
 CSAT has committed over $250 M towards grants supporting
the expansion and enhancement of treatment services for
drug court clients.

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SAMHSA/CSAT and Drug Courts
 SAMHSA/CSAT
has supported drug courts almost
from their inception with the first drug courts such as
Miami-Dade County’s drug court through technical
assistance and expertise regarding behavioral health
issues.
 SAMHSA has supported the NADCP conference for
over a decade.
 SAMHSA links its drug court grantee meeting with the
NADCP annual conference – will again next year. Over
600 participants this year.
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Past & Current Drug Court Grant Activities
 SAMHSA has funded Treatment expansion for drug
courts since the 90s through technical assistance and
block grant funding.
 Since 2002, have funded problem-solving courts that
use the drug court model – primary focus has been
on substance using/abusing/dependent clients:
Adult - Juvenile - Family - DUI/DWI - Veterans -Tribal
2008-2010:
 2010-15:
 2011 and 14:


2012:
Juvenile Drug Courts – OJJDP/SAMHSA
Adult Drug Courts – BJA/SAMHSA
Behavioral Health Treatment Court
Collaboratives
Teen Courts
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SAMHSA/CSAT Criminal Justice Grant
Programs: Focus on Tx Capacity Expansion
There are approximately 222 active grants in CSAT’s criminal and
juvenile justice portfolio:
 173 Drug Court grants including FY12, FY13 and FY 14 SAMHSA
awards and joint grant awards with BJA
 17 Behavioral Health Treatment Court Collaborative grants
 29 Offender Reentry Program grants
 3 Early Diversion Upon Initial Law Enforcement Contact
Not including grants that will end by September, 2015:
 10 Teen Courts
 7 Behavioral Health Treatment Court Collaboratives grants
 7 Children Affected by Methamphetamine-Dependency Courts

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FY 2015 SAMHSA Drug Court and Criminal
Justice Grant Programs
In FY 2015 CSAT anticipates making
approximately 66 new Criminal Justice treatment services awards:
• 31
SAMHSA Adult Drug Court grants
• 7
SAMHSA Family Treatment Drug
Court grants
• 10
SAMHSA-BJA Adult Drug Court grants
• 18
SAMHSA Offender Reentry Program
grants
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FY 2015 SAMHSA Treatment Drug Courts:
RFA TI-15-002
 Title:
Grants to Expand Substance Abuse Treatment
Capacity in Adult and Family Drug Courts
 Due Date:
Closed on April 10, 2015
 Funding Available:
Up to $11.3 Million
 Number of Awards:
Up to 38 awards
 Award Amount:
Up to $325,000 per year
 Length of Project Period:
Up to 3 years
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FY 2015 Adult Treatment Drug Courts
RFA (TI-15-002)
 Description of Program/Target
Populations:
The purpose of this program is to expand and/or
enhance substance abuse treatment services in
existing Adult and Family Treatment Drug Courts
which use the treatment drug court model in order to
provide alcohol and drug treatment (including
recovery support services supporting substance abuse
treatment, screening, assessment, case management,
and program coordination) to defendants/offenders.
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Joint BJA/SAMHSA Solicitation

2010-15, SAMHSA/CSAT and Bureau of Justice Assistance
(BJA), collaborated funding joint opportunity: Enhancing
Adult Drug Court Services, Coordination, and Treatment.

The program allows grantees to develop a comprehensive
strategy for enhancing drug court capacity, with access to
both criminal justice and substance abuse treatment funds
through one application.

FY 2010
27 awards

FY 2011
10 awards

FY 2012
10 awards

FY 2013
10 awards

FY 2014
15 awards

FY 2015
10 awards
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FY 2015 Joint Adult Drug Court
Solicitation – SAMHSA and BJA (TI-15-011)
 Title:
Joint Adult Drug Court Solicitation to Enhance
Services, Coordination, and Treatment (SAMHSA/BJA)
 Due Date: Closed June 1, 2015
 Funding Available: Up to $3 M BJA; $3.25 M in
SAMHSA funds = Total Funding: $6.25M in awards
 Number of Awards: Up to 10
 Award Amount: Up to $300,000 - BJA; Up to
$325,000 per year - SAMHSA funds
 Length of Project Period: Up to 3 years
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FY 2015 Joint Adult Drug Court
Solicitation – SAMHSA and BJA (TI-15-011)
Applicants are limited to states or state courts
applying on behalf of a single jurisdiction; local courts;
counties; other units of local government; or federally
recognized Indian tribal governments (as determined
by the Secretary of the Interior). Indian tribal
governments may apply directly or through other
public or not-for-profit private entities. Eligible
jurisdictions must have a fully operational (at least 1
year as of September 1, 2015) adult drug court.
 BJA will speak more about the Joint Solicitation

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Focus on Clinical/Treatment Services
 Serve high risk, high need populations with Substance
Abuse or Co-Occurring Disorders.
 Expand and/or enhance treatment and recovery services.
 Screen/Assess for Co-Occurring Disorders/Develop
treatment approach for clients.
 May provide Medically Assisted Treatment (Up to 20% of
funds may be used).
 Encouraged to provide/refer for HIV rapid testing (Up to
5% of funds may be used).
 Encouraged to provide/refer for Viral Hepatitis testing
(Up to $5000 may be used).
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Using Evidence-Based Practices
Grants are intended to fund services/practices that have a
demonstrated evidence base appropriate to the population of
focus. EBP refers to approaches to treatment that have been
evaluated and shown to be successful.
 Applicants need to identify the EBP to be implemented.
• Identify and discuss the evidence that the EBP is effective for
selected population;
• If using more than 1 EBP provide a justification and which
modality and population each practice will support; and
• Discuss the populations the EBP is effective with and how it
is appropriate to your population.

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Major Change in SAMHSA and BJA Drug
Court Solicitations: MAT Language
 Previous SAMHSA drug court grants encouraged the
use of FDA-approved medications to treat alcohol
and opioid dependence, but in FY 2015 the two
federal agencies funding drug courts made major
changes that are reflected in the MAT language.
 Where and when available, BJA and SAMHSA
support the client’s right to access MAT. This right
extends to participation as a client in a BJA/SAMHSAfunded drug court.
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RFA: MAT Language
 Applicants
must affirm, in the Statement of Assurance,
that the treatment drug court(s) for which funds are
sought will not deny any eligible client for the
treatment drug court access to the program because of
their use of FDA-approved medications for the
treatment of substance use disorders (e.g., methadone,
buprenorphine products including
buprenorphine/naloxone combination formulations and
buprenorphine mono-product formulations, naltrexone
products including extended-release and oral
formulations, disulfiram, and acamprosate calcium).
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RFA: MAT Language (cont’d)
MAT available by prescription must be permitted unless
the judge determines the following conditions have not
been met:
 the client is receiving those medications as part of
treatment for a diagnosed substance use disorder.
 a licensed clinician, acting within their scope of
practice, has examined the client and determined that
the medication is an appropriate treatment for their
substance use disorder.
 the medication was appropriately authorized through
prescription by a licensed prescriber.
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RFA: MAT Language (cont’d)
 In all cases, MAT must be permitted to be continued
for as long as the prescriber determines that the
medication is clinically beneficial. Grantees must
assure that a drug court client will not be compelled
to no longer use MAT as part of the conditions of the
drug court if such a mandate is inconsistent with a
licensed prescriber’s recommendation or valid
prescription.
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RFA MAT Language (cont’d)
 Under no circumstances may a drug court judge, other
judicial official, correctional supervision officer, or any
other staff connected to the identified drug court deny
the use of these medications when made available to
the client under the care of a properly authorized
physician and pursuant to regulations within an Opioid
Treatment Program or through a valid prescription and
under the conditions described above. A judge,
however, retains judicial discretion to mitigate/reduce
the risk of abuse, misuse, or diversion of these
medications.
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Use of Grant Funds
 Up to 20% may be used for data collection, GPRA
performance measurements, performance
assessment/evaluation.
 Up to 15% may be used for infrastructure development –
partnering; electronic health records, training/workforce
development.
 Remainder of funds may be used for all direct/indirect
substance abuse treatment and recovery services – staff,
contracts, clinical services, recovery support services.
 Up to 20% may be used for Medically Assisted Treatment.
 Up to 5% may be used for HIV rapid testing.
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Applying to several SAMHSA and BJA
Drug Court RFAs
Applicants may submit an application in
response to one or all grant solicitations from
SAMHSA and/or BJA; but
Neither SAMHSA nor BJA will make more than
one award for the same proposed drug court
project in the same jurisdiction/court.
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Grants.gov
Since FY 2013, SAMHSA restricted all grant applications
to electronic submission, you need to ask:
 Does my organization have a DUNS number?
 Has my organization registered with the System
for Award Management (SAM; formerly CCR)?
 Have the Authorized Organization
Representatives (AOR) who will submit the
application registered to obtain a user name and
password?
 Have the AORs who will submit the application
registered with Grants.gov for an account?
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Tips to Avoid Frequently Made Mistakes
 Thoroughly read and
 Start working ASAP on
understand the RFA
including Appendices
 If you have questions
contact SAMHSA staff
listed in the RFA, ASAP
 Don’t wait to register
with grants.gov –
complete whole
process early
writing application
 Start working ASAP on
any required MOUs,
letters of support
 Call/email during
workday
 Go into grants.gov
 Contact grants.gov
Help Desk ASAP
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Grant Program Differences:
SAMHSA vs. BJA Drug Court grants
 SAMHSA’s
primary focus is on the expansion and
enhancement of behavioral health prevention and
treatment for individuals with substance abuse,
mental health and co-occurring disorders.
 Doesn’t fund the “administration of the drug court” or
inherently judicial or law enforcement activities/staff.
 No match requirement.
 3 year grants – amount of award is for EACH year.
 No restriction on eligibility for “violent offenders”.
 Peer review process is more complicated/lengthy.
 Awards made in last week of September (end of FFY). 26
DOJ/HHS Mutual Goals
 Our mutual goal is to provide effective substance
abuse treatment to criminal justice populations.
 SAMHSA will continue to provide you with the
support, tools, and knowledge you need to meet
those goals, but your ultimate success is in your
hands.
 Together we must work to ensure that those in the
justice system in need of substance abuse and
mental health treatment have access to it.
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Want More Information?
CJ Team Contact Information
Ken Robertson, CJ Team Leader
Kenneth.robertson@samhsa.gov
240-276-1621
All CJJ grant programs
Jon Berg, Public Health Advisor
Jon.Berg@samhsa.hhs.gov
240-276-1609
Drug Courts/Offender Reentry
George Samayoa, Public Health Advisor
George.Samayoa@samhsa.hhs.gov
240-276-1622
Drug Courts
Lloyd Roberts, Public Health Advisor
Lloyd.Roberts@samhsa.hhs.gov
240-276-0435
Drug Courts
Arnold Crozier, Public Health Advisor
Arnold.Crozier@samhsa.hhs.gov
240-276-2909
Drug Courts
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Applying for SAMHSA Drug Court Grants:
Is it worth it or not?
“Although we can all agree that incarceration is sometimes necessary
for public safety, in our work to protect the American people, we must
recognize that incarceration alone does not provide the entire solution.
Simply building more prisons and jails will not solve all of our
problems. Any effective and economically sustainable public
safety strategy must include investments that will help to reduce
recidivism and to address the root causes of crime.”
— U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder
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SO, WHATEVER YOU DO AFTER
THIS CONFERENCE, WHEN YOU
GO HOME –PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT:
WWW.SAMHSA.GOV
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Important Resources
SELECTED RESOURCES TO ASSIST
YOU:
Contacts
Websites
Data Information
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The SAMHSA Website Resources include:
 SAMHSA Website:
www.samhsa.gov contains a wealth of
information and opportunities including grant information
 SAMHSA Substance Abuse Treatment
Facility Locator:
http://findtreatment.samhsa.gov
 SAMHSA Health Information Network
is our publications
clearinghouse:
• 1-877-4727 TDD: 800-487-4889
• Monday-Friday 8 am – 8 p.m
 SAMHSA’s National Helpline 1-800-662-HELP
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Websites for Drug Court and ProblemSolving Courts Information

Center for Court Innovation
• www.problem-solvingcourts.org

Council of State Governments
• www.consensusproject.org

Children and Family Futures
• www.cffutures.org

Justice Management Institute
• www.jmijustice.org
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Websites for Drug Court and ProblemSolving Courts Information

Justice Programs-American University
• www.spa.american.edu/justice

Justice for Vets
• www.justiceforvets.org

National Association of Drug Courts
• www.allrise.org

National Center for DWI Courts
• www.DWIcourts.org
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Websites for Drug Court and ProblemSolving Courts Information

National Center for State Courts
• www.ncsonline.org

National Council of Juvenile & Family Court Judges
• www.ncjfcj.org

National Drug Court Institute
• www.ndci.org

National Judicial College
• www.judges.org
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SAMHSA Resources include funding for grants
but also Information and Publications

Resources beyond grant funding:
• Check out SAMHSA Publications
• National Directory of Treatment Providers
• National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information
• National HELP Line
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SAMHSA Resources:
Selected Publications
Treatment Improvement Protocols – TIPS –
available from the National Health
Information Network
• TIP 44: Substance Abuse Treatment for Adults in the
Criminal Justice System
• TIP 32: Treatment of Adolescents with Substance Use
Disorders (AOD)
• TIP 8: Intensive Outpatient Treatment for Alcohol and Other
Drug Abuse
• TIP 11: Simple Screening Instruments for Outreach for
Alcohol and Other Drugs and Infectious Diseases
• TIP 19: Detoxification From Alcohol and Other Drugs
• TIP 28: Naltrexone and Alcoholism Treatment
• TIP 41: Substance Abuse Treatment: Group Therapy
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SAMHSA Survey Data Resources:

National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), formerly the
“household survey”

Drug and Alcohol Services Information Systems – 3 data sets,
includes Inventory of Substance Abuse Treatment Services
programs

Drug Abuse Warning System: A Public Health Surveillance
System

National Outcomes Measures-reporting information on 10
domains
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