Community Budget Issue Requests - Tracking Id #251FY0102
Here's Help--Emergency Waiting List Reduction Project
Requester:		John Cross			Organization:		Here's Help, Inc.
Project Title:		Here's Help--Emergency Waiting List Reduction Project			Date Submitted:		1/9/2002 4:57:33 PM
Sponsors:		Kenneth Gottlieb
Statewide Interest:
Reducing drug addiction and abuse, increasing educational levels and reducing crime among juveniles Services Provided / Benefit to State: Here's Help, Inc. will provide outpatient chemical dependency and substance abuse treatment services for people living in South Florida, but not limited to any particular area. Individuals to be served are of diverse cultures, ethnicity, age, and gender. They are referred by The Department of Corrections, Department of Juvenile Justice, Department of Children and Families, Department of Probation and Parole and other organizations. Individuals who recognize a need for treatment and seek our services of their own volition are also eligible. Here's Help has been providing substance abuse services since 1970. Due to the major demand for outpatient services, Here's Help has been forced to place clients on a waiting list for as long as two to three months, before admitting them to treatment. Some are arrested, (committing additional drug related crimes) and many continue to live high-risk, self-destructive lifestyles. Cost for one month of outpatient treatment is $ 299.00 compared to $1523.00 (source-Florida Alcohol & Drug Abuse Association) for one month in jail or prison. Clients completing treatment usually discontinue relying on the government for unemployment and welfare compensation. The State of Florida will benefit by Here's Help providing clinical and cost effective outpatient chemical dependency and substance abuse treatment to those clients presently on our 2 to 3 month waiting list and by reducing our waiting list in the future. By Here's Help reaching these clients in a more timely manner, it will decrease the risk of these clients committing additional crimes, going to jail, prison, or being mandated to less cost effective alternatives.
Recipient:		Here's Help, Inc.			Contact:		Steve Safron
		15100 NW 27th Avenue			Contact Phone:		(305) 685-8201
		Opa Locka 33054
Counties:		Broward, Dade
Gov't Entity:			Private Organization (Profit/Not for Profit):					Yes
Project Description:
This project will provide cost and clinically effective substance abuse outpatient treatment to individuals who are currently on our 2 to 3 months waiting list. While on the waiting list for treatment, these clients pose a great risk to society. They often are sentenced to county jail or state prison for drug related crimes, spend time in long-term residential treatment, or use taxpayer dollars via social services ( food stamps, TANF, AFDC benefits etc.), because their dependence on drugs and/or alcohol renders them dysfunctional and unable to work. We will hire additional outpatient substance abuse counselors to provide additional substance abuse services to adolescents and adults currently on our waiting list for outpatient treatment. These actions will reduce or eliminate the backlog of clients presently on our waiting list. Additional info about program: Clients attend two, one and one-half hour of group counseling or educational sessions a week, as well as bi-monthly individual therapy sessions. Counselors assist clients in achieving their goals. Clients are required to submit to random drug tests to assure abstinence from drugs and alcohol, to be gainfully employed and/or attending school, meet any or all legal requirements imposed on them, and not engage in any illegal activity. Clients are assisted in achieving their respective treatment goals through individual, group, and educational counseling. Along with therapeutic services, Here's Help has developed strong referral arrangements with other outside agencies. This allows counselors to network and collaborate with other agencies on behalf of the clients. This ensures that specialized services are obtained to meet the specific needs of their clients, i.e., sexual abuse, job services, vocational and educational programs, medical and psychiatric services, etc. Long Waiting List to Get into Treatment: Since April of 2001, there has been a waiting list of perspective clients needing to get into the Here's Help, Inc. Outpatient Treatment Program. Currently, there are 88 clients on our waiting list for outpatient substance abuse treatment; some have been on our waiting list for as long as 87 days before an outpatient spot becomes available. For the past six months, an average of 76 clients a month have been on our waiting list and it is taking an average of 60 days before they get into treatment (Figure 2). The program director of the Juvenile Addictions Receiving Facility at Jackson Memorial Hospital and other referral sources are telling us that it takes them two - three months to get there high risk clients into treatment (see letter attached). Unfortunately, many of the clients on the waiting list drop off the list, or their drug problem escalates to the point where they need a higher level of treatment, or they are rearrested and incarcerated. It is harmful to the potential client and costly to society, the government, and treatment provider. (Representative Gottlieb has in his possession the documents that are referred to in this discription. They provide a clear picture of the need for this funding, and we encourage you to review them at your convenience.)
Measurable Outcome Anticipated:
1. To have a minimum of 75% of clients that enter outpatient treatment, successfully complete the program. (See Figure-1A). 2. To have 80% of the adult clients, employed upon completion of treatment. (Figure-1A). 3. To have 85% of the juvenile clients, be attending school upon completion of treatment (Figure-1A). 4. Comparing the period 30 days prior to intake to a 30-day period 90 days after completion of treatment, there will be a 75 percent reduction in arrests: (Figure 1-B)
Amount requested from the State for this project this year:						$171,812
Identify items(s) in the FY 2002-03 Appropriations Bill to be reduced:
Specific Appropriation #:			674
Specific Appropriation Title:			Dept. of Corrections: Executive Direction and Support Services, Expenses; General Revenue
Amount to be reduced:			$171,812
Total cost of the project:			$214,766
Request has been made to fund:				Operations and Construction
What type of match exists for this project?					Private
	Cash Amount:		$14,954		In-Kind Amount:		$28,000
Was this project previously funded by the State?							No
Is future-year funding likely to be requested?							Yes
	Amount:		$171,812
	Purpose for future year funding:					Recurring Operations
	Will this be an annual request?						Yes
Was this project included in an Agency's Budget Request?							No
Was this project included in the Governor's Recommended Budget?							No
Is there a documented need for this project?							Yes
	Documentation:		waiting list statistics at Here's Help, Inc. and Jackson Memorial Hospital.
Was this project request heard before a publicly noticed meeting of a body of elected officials (municipal, county, or state)?							Yes
	Hearing Body:		Broward County Legislative Delegation
	Meeting Date:		1/14/2002