(October 15, 2010 – Columbus, OH) – Ohioans with disabilities are an often underserved segment of the population when it comes to accessibility of treatment for substance abuse issues.
To provide this population improved access to substance abuse treatment services, the Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services (ODADAS) recently received a Technology Assisted Care (TAC) grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), which is a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The grant will provide $400,000 per year for three years for a total of $1.2 million in funding until September 2013. The project will use technology and provider networks to create and expand culturally appropriate substance use disorder services for Ohioans with disabilities. The objective of the grant is to provide 240 individuals in Ohio who have a disability, including individuals who are deaf or hard-of-hearing; returning veterans who are in need of treatment due to a substance use disorder, traumatic brain injury or post-traumatic stress disorder; and Ohioans who have a disability or special needs with culturally competent, appropriate and accessible programs, materials and support groups.
“The detrimental effects of substance abuse are of concern to all Ohioans,” said ODADAS Director Angela C. Dawson. “ODADAS is committed to utilizing every available resource to ensure access to substance abuse treatment services for all Ohioans to help them lead healthy, drug- and alcohol-free lives.”
The Substance Abuse Resources and Disability Issues program (SARDI) at Wright State University in Dayton will be the primary service provider of the grant. Housed within the SARDI program is the Consumer Advocacy Model (CAM) program, which is the only outpatient facility designed to serve individuals with all co-existing disabilities. Also included in the CAM program is Deaf Off Drugs and Alcohol (DODA), which was a three-year grant-funded project that provided drug and alcohol treatment services for Ohio’s deaf and hard-of-hearing communities. The TAC grant will continue with the progress made through the DODA project to improve access to services for these Ohioans, including services for returning veterans and their families. The federal grant will allow for sustainability funds for DODA in the amount of approximately $637,000 over the course of the three-year grant.
For more information about the TAC grant, please visit SAMHSA’s Web site at http://www.samhsa.gov/Grants/2010/TI-10-012.aspx.
Media Contact:
ODADAS Communications Chief Amanda Conn Starner: (614) 644-8456/connstarner@ada.ohio.gov
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