The Houston Police Department (HPD) recommends that City Council approve an ordinance authorizing the application for and acceptance of grant funds through the U.S Department of Justice for the FY20 Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Site-based Program (COSSAP). The project period is from October 1, 2020 through to September 30, 2023 for a total of 36 months. If awarded, HPD will receive grant funding in the amount of $1,200,000.00. No cash match is required by the City.
HPD is the coordinating agency for this grant and works in conjunction with the University of Texas Health Science Center and the Houston Recovery Center. The COSSAP program intends to address and decrease the amount of opioid related overdoses by continuing its community-wide strategic plan for addressing the regional opioid epidemic, improving the number of referrals of users/victims into long-term care and recovery, and bringing community stakeholders together for regular information sharing and intervention planning.
Under the FY20 COSSAP Grant Program, the US DOJ will provide associated costs for overtime, travel and contract services.
The Houston Police Department also requests City Council to authorize the Chief of Police or his designee to act as the City’s representative in the application process with the authority to apply for, accept and expend the grant funds as awarded, and apply for, accept and expend all subsequent awards, if any, to extend the budget period, and to authorize the Mayor to execute all related agreements with the approval of the City Attorney in connection with the grant not to exceed five years.
Fiscal Note:
No Fiscal Note is required on grant items.
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Art Acevedo
Chief of Police