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Court approves pursuit of federal BJA grant to fund jail peer provider and case management services
Summary
Howard County authorized staff to apply for a Bureau of Justice Assistance grant to fund peer providers/case management in the county jail (rural designation, up to $1M, three-year award, no local match required); presenter emphasized need after recent substance-related deaths.
Howard County Commissioners on April 13 approved pursuing a federal Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) competitive grant to provide peer-provider and case-management services for people at the county jail. The presenter told the court the grant fits the county’s rural designation and can be awarded up to $1 million over a three-year period; smaller requests are possible and there is no local match requirement.
The presenter described a program model that places trained peer providers in the jail to connect people to services (court, diversion, treatment) and said training and certification costs could be included in the budget. The presenter urged the court to move forward, citing recent losses related to substance use among people served by local providers and courts. Commissioners moved and approved seeking the grant; staff were directed to coordinate with the county auditor on federal reporting and oversight requirements.
Commissioners noted the grant is highly competitive and priorities have shifted in recent federal grant re-writes; the court approved pursuing the application while recognizing reporting and audit requirements attached to federal funds.
