ORDINANCE approving and authorizing the submission of an electronic grant application for Federal Assistance to the SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ADMINISTRATION (SAMHSA) for First Responder Opioid Overdose Naloxone Training and Linkage Into Needed Evidence-Based Plus (FRONTLINES+) Project for the Houston Health Department; declaring the City’s eligibility for such Grant; authorizing the Director of the City of Houston Health Department to act as the City’s representative in the  electronic application process, with the authority to accept the Grant and expend the Grant funds, as awarded, and to apply for and accept all subsequent awards, if any, pertaining to the Grant, and to extend the budget periods

The Houston Health Department (HHD) request City Council approval of an ordinance authorizing a grant application to and acceptance of an award from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) for the First Responder Opioid Overdose Naloxone Training and Linkage Into Needed Evidence-Based PLUS (FRONTLINES+) project. The project period is from September 30, 2022 to September 29, 2026 for a total amount of $2,000,000. The City is not required to provide a matching cash contribution. 

HHD also requests City Council authorize the Mayor to execute all related contracts, agreements and documents with the approval of the City Attorney in connection with the grant application and to authorize the Director or his designee to act as the City’s representative with the authority to apply for, accept and expend the grant funds if an as awarded, and to accept and expend all subsequent supplemental awards, if any, and to extend the term and/or budget and project period not to exceed five years, if extended by the SAMHSA during the project period and does not require cash matching funds.

The FRONTLINES+ project is a collaboration between the HHD, Houston Fire Department (HFD), Houston Recovery Center (HRC), Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) and the University of Texas San Antonio (UTSA) to ensure: 

• all HFD response units are equipped with naloxone

• professional and lay first responders are trained in recognition and pre-hospital management of a person with opioid overdose, including proper administration of naloxone,

• overdose victims treated by EMS and clients enrolled are offered referrals to opioid use treatment services, prevention education and ongoing case management through HRC, and
• implementation of a comprehensive trauma informed educational campaign on opioid overdoses

The principal goal of the FRONTLINES+ project is to address the opioid epidemic in the City of Houston by increasing HFD first responder access to and training in the use of naloxone for opioid overdose victims. FRONTLINES+ project will partner with HRC's robust peer recovery and case management services. The proposed program delivery plan builds in sustainability in the use of a train-the-trainer model for naloxone opioid overdose training within HFD divisions. 

Fiscal Note

No Fiscal Note is required on grant items. 

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Stephen L. Williams, M.Ed., M.P.A.

Director - Houston Health Department

$2,000,000.00

Federal Government - Fund 5000

Porfirio Villarreal

Telephone: 832-393-5041; 713-826-5695