The U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance seeks applications for technical assistance and training providers for Second Chance Act (SCA) grantees to improve reentry and reduce recidivism. Providers are sought to support site-based SCA grantees in one of the following three categories of technical assistance: Corrections and Community Engagement; Education, Employment, and Community Engagement; and Behavioral Health, Housing, and Family Support. Submissions are due by April 28, 2020.

The U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance has announced a grant funding opportunity for projects that establish, expand, and improve treatment for individuals with substance use disorders during incarceration and reentry into the community. Applications are due by April 27, 2020.

This brief identifies challenges for addressing families in rural areas who fall within the child welfare system and who also encounter substance misuse. It also illustrates several challenges that include a lack of family-centered options as well as transportation and technological limitations in addressing the needs of parents with substance abuse. The brief also points out the need for collaboration in rural areas between child welfare agencies and substance use treatment providers.

The Office of Family Assistance hosted a webinar on Wednesday, February 26 entitled Improving Employment Outcomes for TANF Recipients with Substance Use Disorders. The webinar outlined employment-focused strategies that can contribute to, rather than inhibit, substance use treatment and featured experts with backgrounds in research and practice on working with TANF recipients who have substance use disorders. Speakers discussed national trends in substance use disorders and strategies to move those with substance use disorders towards treatment, employment, and economic stability.

Speakers included:

• Dennis Romero, Regional Administrator, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

• Dr. Christine Cauffield, Chief Executive Officer, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Managing Entity, Lutheran Services Florida

• Kim Griswold Releford, University of Kentucky, Opioid Use Disorder Project, Targeted Assessment Program

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has issued this guide to assist health care providers, health care systems, and community leaders who seek knowledge about strategies and approaches to prevent substance misuse among young adults, ages 18 to 25. The guide includes research findings, identifies emerging and best practices, and points out knowledge gaps and challenges to implementing these practices within communities. The guide also lists resources on how to monitor outcomes and conduct evaluations, and guidance on how to improve quality of existing practices.

The Institute for Research on Poverty at the University of Wisconsin at Madison will host a webinar on February 19, 2020 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. CT to discuss ways that a father’s health and behaviors impact their children’s well-being. Researchers will present findings about fathers’ experiences in prenatal and pediatric care settings and strategies for promoting fathers’ physical and mental health; also presented will be findings on how to support fathers in modeling positive health behaviors for their children.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has announced a competitive grant opportunity under the Opioid-Impacted Family Support Program. Up to 19 grant awards will be funded to support training programs that expand paraprofessionals’ knowledge, skills, and expertise, and to increase the number of peer support specialists and other behavioral health-related paraprofessionals who serve children whose parents are impacted by opioid use disorders and other substance use disorders, as well as family members in guardianship roles. Applications are due by April 13.

This report examines county-wide approaches for addressing substance use among high school age youth. Approximately 30 percent of high school students report using alcohol, 20 percent of youth report binge drinking, 20 percent report marijuana use, and nearly 12 percent of high school students report using illicit or injectable drugs. The report notes that while overall alcohol, tobacco, and drug use have decreased among youth, the complexity of substance abuse requires increased emphasis on prevention, intervention, and treatment strategies at the county level.

This Child Trends report evaluates Nebraska’s Bridge to Independence (b2i) program for young adults who have recently exited from the foster care system. The program offers supportive services such as medical care, housing, and case management and assists participants as they attain education and employment in coordination with an assigned independence coordinator. This report’s assessment of qualitative and quantitative impacts of b2i are incorporated as part of the Nebraska Children’s Commission 2018-2019 Annual Report and will be used to set future priorities on the b2i program expansion.

This Mathematica report evaluates methods of substance abuse treatment and mental health service delivery and assesses the measurement of opioid misuse. The report also offers economic and epidemiologic tools to improve recognition of unintended consequences and long-term implications of interventions previously used to reduce opioid use.