News Release

HHS Announces $10.4 Million for Cook Inlet Tribal Council Brief Interventions to Deal with People at Risk of Dependence on Alcohol or Drugs

Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today announced a $10.4 million award to the Cook Inlet Tribal Council, Inc. to fund early intervention services in hospitals and other general medical and community settings to reach people at risk of dependence on alcohol or drugs.  The Cook Inlet Tribal Council in Anchorage, Alaska is expected to receive $1,672,107 in the first year.  Funding for the program is expected to increase to $2,254,494 in years two, three and four, and is projected to total $1,962,979 in year five for an expected total of $10,398,568 over five years.

This cooperative agreement, awarded by HHS’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), is designed to expand the continuum of care available to include screening, brief interventions, referrals and brief treatment.  The community and medical settings, such as schools and health clinics, will have the capacity to refer dependent persons to more intense specialized substance abuse treatment services, when needed.   SAMHSA Administrator Chares G. Curie presented a “big check” representing the grant to Cook Inlet Tribal Council President and CEO Gloria O’Neill today.

"This grant will make it easier for local professionals in Alaska to offer a helping hand to those who engage in risky behavior involving alcohol and drugs," Secretary Thompson said.  "Left unchecked, these behaviors can lead to deeper dependency that makes recovery more difficult." 

John Walters, Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, noted: “Prevention is a critical part of our balanced strategy.  Investments in prevention yield long-lasting payoffs in people’s lives and communities.  We also know that early intervention is critical.  Today’s announcement is in keeping with a new focus on encouraging people around young people to help them stop drug use before it becomes a problem.”

The award will be renewable by the state for up to five years, depending on outcomes and availability of funding. 

“This award will allow community health centers, school-based health clinics and student assistance programs, occupational health clinics, hospitals, and emergency departments to conduct brief interventions that can reorient many people away from behavior, that unchecked can lead to addiction,” SAMHSA Administrator Charles G. Curie said.  “SAMHSA is helping states add brief interventions to their spectrum of care, so that substance abuse treatment is addressed before the patient needs residential care or intensive outpatient care, to overcome addictions to alcohol and drugs.”

The Connections SBIRT Project, operated by the Cook Inlet Tribal Council in partnership with the South-Central Foundation , the tribal non-profit health arm of the Cook Inlet Region, Inc. family of providers, will serve Alaska Natives in Anchorage, Alaska. The tribal council and South-Central Foundation have an existing platform on which to add SBIRT services, since they currently offer primary health care and centralized assessment, brief intervention and pretreatment to Alaska Native adults in Anchorage.  SBIRT services include screening, brief intervention, assessment and brief therapy.

Connections-SBIRT will add screening for adults, increase adult brief intervention, assessment and brief therapy services, and add the full continuum of SBIRT services for adolescents.   Connections-SBIRT will serve 1,800 people annually at one or more service levels. These services will be provided in a primary health setting and two generalist community settings. 

SAMHSA is a public health agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  The agency is responsible for accountability, capacity and effectiveness of the nation’s substance abuse prevention, addictions treatment and mental health service delivery systems.

 

This page was last updated on 07 November, 2003
SAMHSA is An Agency of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services