It was informally announced last week that the Newton County Hometown Health Initiative's (HHI) Partners in Prevention (PIP) coalition is a recipient of the prestigious Federal Drug Free Communities (DFC) Grant. The announcement was jointly made by the Arkansas Opioid Recovery Partnership (ARORP), Association of Arkansas Counties (AAC) and the Arkansas Municipal League (AML).
Seven out of 13 Coalition Partnership Empowerment (COPE) coalitions across the state have been awarded the grant. They are:
Prevention-Awareness-Youth-Support (PAYS) Coalition (Mountain Home, AR)
Sebastian County Opioid Task Force (Fort Smith, AR)
Opioid Prescription Drug and Synthetics Coalition (O.P.P.S.), formerly Healing in the Hood (Blytheville, AR)
Newton County Partners in Prevention Coalition (Jasper, AR)
Greene County Mental Health and Substance Abuse Coalition (Paragould, AR)
Amazing Angels Coalition (Lake Village, AR)
Carroll County Hometown Health Coalition (Green Forest, AR)
Additionally, coalitions may apply for a second five-year term, potentially doubling the total to an impressive $8.75 million.
The coalitions will be recognized at a press conference and luncheon on Thursday, Sept. 19, from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m., at Association of Arkansas Counties (AAC), 1415 W 3rd St, Little Rock.
HHI met in regular session last Thursday. Several PIP representatives said they will attend the meeting in Little Rock.
HHI applied for Arkansas Opioid Settlement funds in 2022 and was awarded $25,000 that paid for membership in CADCA (Community Anti-Drug Coalitions Of America) and attending training sessions held in Little Rock and online throughout 2023 in preparation of making application for the DFC grant. It was submitted last April.
The Jasper School District is the grant's fiduciary agent. The board of education will budget the funding, establish the salary for the position and hire the DFC project director/coordinator. The school district has already posted the position at Jasper.k12.ar.us. Follow directions on submitting an application. Applications and resume need to be emailed to Superintendent Dr. Candra Brasel at: candra.brasel@jasper.k12.ar.us .
