This report describes the resources and services offered to local governments under the U.S. Justice Department's Bureau of Justice Assistance's (BJA's) Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Site-based Program (COAP).
Ensuring health, public safety, and family support services in communities is the core of local government's responsibilities in addressing the opioid epidemic; however, this epidemic and its long-term financial costs are straining local governments' ability to provide critical services. COAP's purpose is to provide financial and technical assistance to states, units of local government, and Indian tribal governments for planning, developing, and implementing comprehensive efforts to identify, respond to, treat, and support persons impacted by the opioid epidemic. The Harold Rogers Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) has been incorporated into the FY 2019 COAP solicitation to improve collaboration and strategic decision-making among regulatory and law enforcement agencies and public health entities, so as to address prescription drug and opioid abuse, save lives, and reduce crime. The COAP funds and provides training and technical services that support first responders in work related to the opioid epidemic; expand diversion programs for nonviolent persons who abuse illicit and prescription opioids; implement and improve PDMPs; encourage and support comprehensive cross-system planning; and develop and implement strategies for identifying and providing treatment and recovery support for drug abusers.