Co-Occurring State Incentive Grant (COSIG)

Funding: The Co-Occurring State Incentive Grant (COSIG), administered by The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Partners: Governor's Office of Children Youth and Families (GOCYF); Arizona Department of Corrections (ADC); Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS); Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections (ADJC); Arizona Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC); Arizona Regional Behavioral Health Authorities (RBHAs); and community providers.
Program description: Of all the states, Arizona has the largest gap in treatment services to people with mental health and substance abuse disorders. The COSIG project addresses that gap by removing barriers to diagnosis, effective evidence-based treatment, and outpatient services for people with co-occurring disorders in Arizona's criminal justice system. The goal of the project is to make it possible for a person with behavioral health disabilities to enter the criminal justice or behavioral health system through any door and experience consistent, unified, effective treatment and services. We will improve screening, reduce needless replication of data and forms, improve collaboration across agencies, and introduce best practices for care and treatment that will result in empowered, self-sufficient individuals who are ready to positively contribute to their communities.
CABHP's Role: CABHP is engaged in four specific tasks to meet the goals of the project: (1) design and implement a standardized screening and assessment process to identify co-occurring disorders; (2) design, implement, and evaluate a Services Pilot Project (SPP) that provides integrated, evidence-based treatment to adult offenders with co-occurring disorders, both during and after release; (3) increase collaboration between agencies by building policy consensus and integrating diverse data sets so that information can be shared securely and easily; and (4) develop a highly competent workforce through development of curricula, the establishment of an inter-agency task force, and the recruitment of a diverse, knowledgable staff, especially from the College of Human Services at ASU-West.
Partnership Began: 2005
Project Leader: Vicki Staples
Related Links:
Arizona COSIG-- http://www.azcosig.asu.edu
Co-Occurring Center for Excellence-- http://coce.samhsa.gov
GOCYF-- http://www.governor.state.az.us/cyf/
ADHS-- http://www.azdhs.gov/
ADC-- http://www.azcorrections.gov/
ADJC-- http://www.juvenile.state.az.us/
AOC-- http://www.supreme.state.az.us/nav2/aoc.htm
ASU College of Human Services -- http://www.west.asu.edu/chs/