|
 The State of
North Carolina, through Governor Michael F. Easley and Carmen
Hooker-Odom, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human
Services, submitted a proposal to the Substance Abuse Mental
Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA), Center for Substance
Abuse Prevention (CSAP) for a Strategic Prevention Framework
State Incentive Grant (SPF- SIG). Beginning Fiscal Year 05-06, a total of
$2.3 million per year for five years was awarded to North
Carolina to implement, monitor, and sustain efforts to enhance
the substance abuse prevention infrastructure in order to meet
the multi-faceted needs of our diverse population.
The SPF-SIG grant award will enable the state to assess needs
through assistance from an epidemiological workgroup, work with
the local management entities (LMEs) to assess local needs,
refine the comprehensive prevention strategy, select appropriate
evidence-based practices, implement these practices to
populations in need, and monitor state and local outcomes. The
grant identified a regional structure that will enable the state
to compile a comprehensive assessment and to provide on-going
programming on a state-wide basis. Four regional Centers for
Prevention Resources (CPRs) were identified in strategic
geographical locations to represent the east, north central,
south central, and western portions of the state. The CPRs are
identified as the “hubs” that will work with local communities,
referred to as “spokes,” to impact substance abuse and related
occurrences that exist within our state. The CPRs are
geographically located across the state and will be announced at
a planned kick-off in March in collaboration with federal
officials.
The three
primary goals of the NC SPF SIG project are the following:
-
Build
prevention capacity and infrastructure at the state and
community levels;
-
Prevent
the onset and reduce the progression of substance abuse,
including emphasis on underage drinking; and
-
Reduce
substance abuse-related problems in communities.
The Single
State Agency (SSA) for substance abuse services (designated by
SAMHSA) in the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS),
Division of MH/DD/SAS, Community Policy Management Section is
the lead agency for the NC SPF-SIG. The Office of Prevention
within the Community Policy Management Section is responsible
for managing and monitoring the prevention portion of the
federal Block Grant (SAPTBG) and the SDFCA Governor’s set-aside
funds. The Office of Prevention will manage the deliverables of
the SPF-SIG grant and will staff the Cooperative Agreement
Advisory Board (CAAB), as well as the State Epidemiology Work
(SEW) group that is required by the grant. The CAAB will approve
all major activities of the SPF-SIG and make recommendations to
the governor and the secretary of DHHS regarding statewide
infrastructure issues. The SEW is responsible for the data needs
of the state and for working with the CPRs to ensure local data
collection efforts are implemented and maintained.
Collaborations with local evaluators at the Pacific Institute
for Research and Evaluation (PIRE), and the Research Triangle
Institute International (RTI) have been established to complete
the external evaluation and needs assessments.
For information, contact Dr. Janice Petersen, Director,
NC
Office of Prevention & Early Intervention at (919)
715-5989 or
janice.petersen@ncmail.net.
The Next
Step
Editor: Leanne
Murray
Writer: Rose Walsh
Designer: Virginia Hart
Partnership for a Drug-Free
NC
665 W. Fourth Street
Winston-Salem, NC 27101
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