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Governor's Office of Crime Prevention and Policy

Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Program (COSSUP)

Overview

Description

The Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Site-Based Program (COSSUP), provides states, tribes, territories, and local governments with critical funding needed to locate and investigate illicit activities related to the unlawful distribution of opioids; increase access to prevention programs and overdose reversal medications; and expand treatment and recovery support services in the community and within correctional facilities. Grant funding has been used to support the implementation of Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) programs, which work directly with law enforcement to provide diversion options for low-level offenses among those who may have a mental illness or substance use disorder.

Additionally, COSSUP funds support: 

  • Efforts to increase access to and receipt of prevention, treatment, and recovery support services for individuals with substance use disorder in the community, in correctional settings, and upon reentry.
  • Efforts to reduce overdose deaths.
  • Support of law enforcement-related efforts to address illicit drug activity and enhance public safety.

History

Since 2019, the Governor's Office of Crime Prevention and Policy (The Office) has overseen the administration of COSSUP for the State of Maryland. The Office awarded funds to support efforts that respond to, treat, and support those impacted by this crisis, particularly those who have been historically underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by persistent poverty and inequality. These efforts can include community-based programs, diversion from the criminal justice system through law enforcement and other first responder-based responses and court-based programs, as well as programming in jails and prisons to improve access to care.

COSSUP supports organizations to plan, develop, and implement comprehensive efforts that identify, respond to, treat, and support those impacted by illicit opioids, stimulants, and other drugs by illicit opioids, stimulants, and other drugs.

COSSUP funding assists with the implementation and expansion of the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) program which provides the necessary resources to respond to illicit substance use and misuse to reduce overdose deaths; promote public safety; and support access to prevention, harm-reduction, treatment, and recovery services in the community and justice system. Within the LEAD program, police-led diversion/deflection initiatives help connect police to service providers who respond immediately to assist individuals identified by police. The program also promotes cross-system planning and coordination to deliver a broad range of evidence-based, culturally relevant interventions. For more information about the LEAD program, please refer here.

GOCPP recognizes all deflection and diversion efforts around the state as part of a Maryland Deflection & Pre-Arrest Diversion Framework. For deflection & pre-arrest diversion program implementation tools and information about current COSSUP sites, please refer here.

Resources

Categories funded

Eligible to apply

Documents

Notices of Funding Availability (NOFA)

Additional Documents

Dates

Projected NOFA Release Month

August

Projected Application Month

September