Human Services

CD Treatment Support Grants

Statewide Outcome(s):

CD Treatment Support Grants supports the following statewide outcome(s).

Minnesotans are healthy.

Strong and stable families and communities.

Context:

Chemical addiction can affect persons of any age, race, religion, or income. According to the 2006 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service (SAMHSA) National Survey on Drug Use, 22.6 million people (9.2 percent) of people in the U.S aged 12 and older were chemically dependent. Chemical dependence broke down as follows: 3.2 million people were dependent on both drugs and alcohol, 3.8 million were dependent on drugs alone, and 15.6 million were dependent on alcohol alone.

Of this 22.6 million people, only 1.6 percent received treatment. Without treatment, the consequences of substance use for the individual and society are staggering: unnecessary disability, unemployment, mental illness, homelessness, incarceration, suicide and wasted lives. Chemical Dependency (CD) Treatment Support grants pays for statewide prevention, intervention, treatment support, recovery maintenance, and case management services, including culturally appropriate services and support. A combination of state and federal dollars supports this activity.

Research studies indicate that the prevalence of substance abuse is higher for certain communities/populations or that some groups do not succeed in chemical dependency treatment at the same rate as the general population. Specific improvement efforts to address these disparities include prevention strategies and treatment support services that focus on the unique strengths and needs of these various communities/populations. The value of these specialized services is especially highlighted as counties and tribes recognize the role treatment support services play in successfully serving families with substance abuse problems in the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families and Child Welfare programs.

Strategies:

The majority of this program’s is from the federal Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment block grant. Federal rules specify that some of these federal funds be targeted toward treatment supports of Native Americans, women, women with children, the elderly, and other diverse populations. Specifically, roughly $4 million on women’s services and $5 million from each annual award is spent on prevention targeted to culturally specific communities of highest need on a regional basis. Minnesota expends the remaining $5 million on treatment support and recovery maintenance for specific target populations.

Roughly $1 million of state general fund are appropriated each fiscal year for grants to American Indian Tribes to conduct prevention and treatment support services for American Indians.

The state works with prevention and recovery support providers in the community, along with regional coordinators in all seven areas of the state. DHS collaborates with the Minnesota Departments of Health, Public Safety, Education and Corrections in program planning, data collection and analysis.

Results:

The performance measures demonstrate this activity’s contribution to strong and stable families and communities as reflected by reductions in past 30 day use of alcohol by young people. The state-wide outcomes are also supported by reducing to zero the number of drug-positive babies born to mothers in programs serving them.

Performance Measures Notes:

(1)   Percent of children in communities receiving substance abuse prevention funding as reported in the Minnesota Student Survey. Previous represents calendar year (CY) 2004 and Current represents CY 2010.

(2)   Number of at risk babies reported with positive toxicology screens in communities receiving prevention funding. Previous represents FY 2005 and Current represents FY 2011.