$2 Million grant for Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery earned by USD Addiction Counseling and Prevention Faculty

VERMILLION, S.D. – Receiving treatment for substance use disorders (SUD) can be difficult and full of stigma for many, but faculty members in the USD Department of Addiction Counseling & Prevention are aiming to ameliorate that with a recent $2 million grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

Brennan Thompson, director of Addiction Counseling & Prevention, and Melissa Dittberner, Ph.D., faculty, are administering the project, titled “System and Community Interventions to Prevent Incarceration and Reduce Stigma (SCIPIRS),” for a healthier South Dakota.

The duo will utilize the grant to expand substance use disorder (SUD) treatment and recovery support in drug courts in Minnehaha County, South Dakota. For individuals with SUDs, there is a need for treatment rather than incarceration. The grant will provide prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery services for those individuals with SUDs who are involved with the courts.

Participation in treatment court enables people with substance use and/or mental health disorders to avoid prison sentences if their alleged crime was a direct result of their diagnoses. Treatment courts require participants to attend a variety of individual and group services, in addition to weekly court attendance, drug testing and meetings with probation officers. This system can be difficult to navigate.

Thompson says he hopes this effort will promote change to improve abstinence from substance use, housing stability, employment status, social connectedness, behavioral consequences, and reduce criminal justice involvement. “This is an opportunity to accompany more people on their journeys, help to keep more families intact, and collaborate with our amazing community partners,” he said.

The grant will allow the hiring of a justice navigator to help participants effectively navigate the court system, a medical doctor’s services to provide medication, assisted treatment and holistic health screenings, and cultural experts to help review the treatment court process. The grant will also expand peer support services, which Dittberner is a recognized expert in.

“We are excited to be able to support treatment courts in Sioux Falls with integrative care,” Dittberner explained. “This funding will enable us to provide comprehensive support, addressing addiction and mental health needs through a collaborative approach, ensuring that participants receive holistic care throughout their recovery journeys.

“This grant will improve our systems and improve the lives of people in our communities,” she continued. “Our hope is to reduce generational trauma and reduce the stigma of mental health and substance use disorders.”

Contact: Hanna DeLange, Hanna.DeLange@usd.edu

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