Community Budget Issue Requests - Tracking Id #623FY0102

Emergency Waiting List Reduction Project

Requester:

John Kross

Organization:

Here's Help, Inc.

Project Title:

Emergency Waiting List Reduction Project

Date Submitted:

1/18/2002 2:42:04 AM

Sponsors:

Debbie Wasserman Schultz

Statewide Interest:

This project services a front-porch community.

Here's Help 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 Dept. of Corrections, Dept. of Juvienille Justice, Dept. of Children & Families, Dept. of Probation & 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, or being mandated to less cost effective alternatives.

Recipient:

Here's Help, Inc.

Contact:

Steve Safron

15100 NW 27th Ave

Contact Phone:

(305) 685-8201

Opa Locka 33054

Counties:

Broward

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.

Measurable Outcome Anticipated:

1. To have a minimum of 75% of clients that enter outpatient treatment successfully complete the program.

2. To have 80% of the adult clients, employed upon completion of the treatment.

3. To have 85% of the juvenille clients be attending school upon completion of treatment.

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% reduction in arrests.

Amount requested from the State for this project this year:

$171,812

Total cost of the project:

$214,766

Request has been made to fund:

Operations

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:

Information to be forwarded to Appropriations Committee

Was this project request heard before a publicly noticed meeting of a body of elected officials (municipal, county, or state)?

Yes

Hearing Body:

Broward Legislative Delegation

Meeting Date:

12/12/2001