[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 128 (Wednesday, July 5, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35052-35054]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-16357]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
National Institute of Corrections
Cooperative Agreement Award
AGENCY: National Institute of Corrections, Justice.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This notice is to provide information to the public concerning
a planned cooperative agreement award from the National Institute of
Corrections, Department of Justice to Policy Research, Inc. (PRI) to
establish a center to improve knowledge and services related to
improving mechanisms for the acquisition and application of high
quality knowledge about individuals in contact with the criminal
justice system dually diagnosed with mental illness and substance abuse
in order to improve the full range of interventions possible, including
sanctioning practices, management/supervision strategies, and treatment
of dually diagnosed substance abuse and mental illness with these
individuals. This is not a formal request for applications.
DATES: The deadline for submission of the application is 4 p.m.,
E.S.T., August 4, 1995.
ADDRESSES: The application is to be submitted in original with 6 copies
to the National Institute of Corrections, Attention Mr. George Keiser,
Chief, Division of Community Corrections, National Institute of
Corrections, 500 First Street N.W., Washington D.C. 20534.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:Mr. George Keiser, 202-307-3995, ext.
135.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Authority: This cooperative agreement award
will be made under authority of NIC's statutory authorities as set
forth in Title 18 of the U.S. Code at 4351-4352. The cooperative
agreement mechanism is being employed to fund this activity, because it
is NIC's intent to be actively involved and to provide support for a
public purpose which requires highly specialized expertise and a unique
set of collaborative alliances to reach the projects's goals. This
cooperative agreement is not subject to review as governed by Executive
Order 12372, Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.
Availability of Funds
Approximately $906,000 will be available in Fiscal Year 1995 to
fund this project for the first of 3 years. It is expected that the
project will begin on or about September 15, 1995 and based on funding
availability and first year results, additional funding is anticipated
for up to 2 subsequent years.
The National Institute of Corrections will administer the
cooperative agreement and will coordinate with program officials of the
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services' Center for Substance Abuse
Treatment and the Center for Mental Health Services in the management,
oversight, and evaluation of project activities.
Purpose
Research has shown a high degree of dual diagnosis or co-morbidity
of addictive and mental disorders (up to 80%) among offender
populations resulting in a need to establish an integrated network for
knowledge development, analyses of state-of-the-art practices, and
knowledge application and technical assistance related to techniques
for appropriately intervening, managing/supervising and treating
persons in the criminal justice system who are dually diagnosed with
substance abuse and mental illness. There is a need to establish an
expert knowledge and practice base through the creation of a center
that serves as a resource to enhanced collaboration among mental
health, substance abuse treatment, and criminal justice professionals,
consumers, family members, and State and local officials.
This project will increase the ability to effectively acquire,
adapt, and apply existing knowledge and practice that will result in
system change and improved mental health and substance abuse
interventions, outcomes and management with dually diagnosed
individuals in contact with the criminal justice system.
Through a cooperative agreement with a detailed strategic plan that
(1) builds upon and augments the work already accomplished with the
earlier jail population initiative of NIC and CMHS and (2) addresses
how additional correction system target populations are to be reached
over the lifetime of the award, the project through the creation of a
center will address the following goals:
Goal 1: Create a commitment and common understanding regarding the
need to share responsibility for the treatment, care, and management/
supervision of dually diagnosed individuals who have contact across the
Criminal Justice System, as well as the Mental Health Care System, and
the Substance Abuse Treatment System.
Goal 2: Across all 3 systems, decrease stigmatization of those
individuals with dual diagnosis of substance abuse and mental illness.
Goal 3: Increase individual jurisdictions' abilities to
appropriately intervene and use of a range of graduated sanctions, with
individuals dually diagnosed with substance abuse and mental illness.
Goal 4: Develop knowledge application strategies and opportunities
to improve the treatment and management/supervision of substance abuse
and mental illness of dually diagnosed offenders by promoting system
change within each and across all three systems.
Objectives
Specifically, PRI will prepare an application for a center that
will include cost, timeframes, and anticipated outcomes to:
--Consolidate, synthesize and assess promising research and program
evaluation information identifying promising practices ready for
dissemination and knowledge application to a wide range of
[[Page 35053]]
audiences, to include female adult and juvenile offenders, violent
offenders and those at risk for violence, offenders from racial/ethnic
minority groups, and offenders who are chronically mentally ill.
--Provide technical assistance regarding the development and
implementation of populations specific, e.g. gender-specific and
racial/ethnic specific, treatment guidelines for dually diagnosed
offenders regardless of offense and length and type of sanctioning,
e.g. ranging from individuals in pre-trial status to those with long
prison terms. Provide information and analyses relevant to the
inclusion of these populations in approaches to the provision of
``managed care.''
--Identify the most appropriate audiences suitable for technical
assistance, including the judicial system, and match these audiences to
the most effective and efficient means of technical assistance,
including knowledge application and marketing strategies. Describe how
the relative effectiveness of various forms of such technical
assistance, knowledge application, and marketing will be assessed.
--Describe how the 3 systems in question will be addressed through the
center and how the project will build incrementally on the legal status
(based on court dispositions) of offender populations.
--Create networks and examine and evaluate different modes of structure
and organization of these networks of policy makers, researchers,
mental health, substance abuse and corrections providers and
administrators, consumers, family members, advocacy organizations, and
public/private organizations to assist in accomplishing the systems
change goals of this project as well as participating in technical
assistance and knowledge application activities.
--Identify and assist key organizations to meet shared goals related to
the interventions, sanctioning, treatment, and management/supervision
of offenders, e.g. issues of family access and family participation to
offenders with mental illness of concern to the National Alliance for
the Mentally Ill.
--Provide technical assistance to relevant systems officials regarding
the availability of services for offenders dually diagnosed with
substance abuse and mental illness in the community and in jails and
prisons. Strategize with relevant officials on how to stabilize and
maintain the chronic dually diagnosed offender in community settings,
especially when minor offenses have been committed. Explore more
diversion and sanctioning options for the non-violent dually diagnosed
offender.
--Increase the awareness and use of a range or continuum of
interventions, including sanctions, assuring appropriate matching of
services to the specifics of the population. Increase the use of
screening and assessment processes to identify and help place the
dually diagnosed within the corrections system. Provide technical
assistance in developing common (across jurisdictions, States,
counties) screening and assessment instruments. Provide technical
assistance to improve the classification system for dually diagnosed
offenders. Assist in identifying and developing more effective and
reliable instruments that allow for non-detention options while
awaiting adjudication. Increase the ability of the offender to fulfill
obligations related to legal violations.
--Identify the need for new research, evaluation, and data-base
building and assess and identify voids and gaps in knowledge and
subsequently recommend research, evaluation and data-base building
needed to expand the knowledge base on how to treat and manage the full
spectrum of dually diagnosed offenders in all components of the
criminal justice system, including community corrections, jails, and
prisons.
Evaluation of Project
The awardee is required to evaluate the center established through
this project to assure consistency with stated goals, objectives,
strategic plans, and timeframes as well as to determine the outcome and
impact of this project on improved sanctioning practices, treatment for
dually diagnosed substance abuse and mental illness, and management of
the dually diagnosed offender.
Reasons for Selecting Policy Research, Inc. as Recipient of this
Cooperative Agreement Award
Policy Research, Inc. is the non-profit arm of Policy Research
Associates (PRA), research firm committed to the application of
rigorous social science research methods to policy issues at the
Federal, State, and local levels. The delivery of technical assistance
and the application of new research to pressing service and
organizational issues have been major foci of PRA activities since its
inception.
PRA has been recognized nationally and internationally as a leader
in research and its applications in the areas of mental health and
substance abuse services in the criminal justice system, violence and
mental disorders and mental health services for persons who are
homeless. Its national leadership in bringing together other
researchers, service providers, administrators, advocates, and key
political leaders in these areas to focus on issues of extreme national
importance is well documented.
This unique capacity and long-term commitment to the issues that
are at the core of the project and this capacity exists in no other
single organization: private or public, research firm or university.
Because PRA does so much cutting-edge policy analysis, it understands
the practicalities of interpreting and applying research to foster
program development and systemic change, an essential ingredient for
this project to succeed. PRA drafted the report required by Congress in
Public Law 102-321, section 703 requiring `` a report concerning the
most effective methods for providing mental health services to
individuals who come into contact with the criminal justice system. .
.and the obstacles to providing such services.'' PRA drafted this
report and conducted a series of meetings that brought together key
constituent groups for their input. PRA has supported a range of
technical assistance activities in assisting the National Institute of
Corrections Jail Division's evaluation of its jail mental health
technical assistance center, preparing a brochure on the current
research summarizing data on mental disorder and violence and
conducting a workshop to develop model contracts between jails and
mental health service providers.
Evaluation Criteria
NIC routinely uses four categories of criteria in reviewing
applications for financial assistance. They are programmatic,
organizational, project management, and financial/administrative. A
description of the general elements that compose these criteria
categories follows:
Programmatic--Indication of a clear understanding of the problem to
be addressed, the key issues underlying the problem area, and the
relevance of the proposed project, well defined project objectives, and
resources necessary to meet the objectives; potential for NIC's using
the results of the project in other undertakings or programs.
Organizational--Background, experience and expertise of the
[[Page 35054]]
proposed project staff, including any proposed consultants; and
sufficient realistic time commitments from key project staff.
Project Management--Description of all elements and tasks of the
project, and realistic timeframes necessary to complete the tasks;
technical soundness of the design and methodology for achieving the
project goals; identification of realistic process of ensuring
achievement of tasks and milestones; provisions for adequate evaluation
of the effectiveness of the project.
Financial/Administrative--financial and administrative integrity of
the proposal, including adherence to Federal financial guidelines and
processes; adequate project cost detail/narrative to support the
proposed budget; reasonableness of estimated cost in relation to the
anticipated results.
Executive Order 12372
Not subject to review.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: The Catalog of
Federal Domestic Assistance Number applicable to this program is
16.602
Application Process
Policy Research, Inc. is to submit an application using OMB
Standard Form 424, Application For Federal Assistance, including as
appropriate required certifications and assurances (e.g. drug-free
workplace, debarment, lobbying activities, etc.) The original
application must bear the original ink-signature of the president or
chief executive officer of PRI.)
A budget must be part of the application and composed of a
narrative description linking costs to projected tasks, outcomes, and
time frames, as well as a summary projection of costs/prices by major
categories such as personnel, benefits, travel, supplies, equipment,
and indirect costs.
Dated: June 28, 1995.
Morris L. Thigpen,
Director, National Institute of Corrections.
[FR Doc. 95-16357 Filed 7-3-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-36-P
