The Opportunity

Since 2016, the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Program (COSSUP) has supported jails, prisons, and community corrections agencies by providing financial and technical assistance to plan, develop, and implement comprehensive efforts to identify, respond to, treat, and support those impacted by substance use. The Bureau of Justice Assistance’s work has emphasized the force-multiplying power of partnership and collaboration across the public health, behavioral health, and public safety sectors. Over 110 grants have been awarded that focus on implementing or expanding evidence-based treatment in jails and prisons between FY17 through FY22.

Rulo Strategies leads the Jails/Prisons, Reentry, and Community Corrections Training and Technical Assistance initiative for the COSSUP program. A primary focus of the technical assistance initiative is improving access to medications for addiction treatment for the justice-involved population in community and corrections settings.

What We Are Looking For

We are looking for independent consultants with a wide range of professional backgrounds who can serve as subject-matter experts to the project and assist grantees as they implement their projects. We are seeking consultants with a background in:

• Corrections/Jail Administration

• Community Corrections (probation, parole, pretrial services)

• Correctional health care

• Addiction medicine

• Community-based healthcare

• Community-based behavioral health treatment

• Public health

• Implementation science

Consultants may assist in a variety of ways, including:

• Serving on workgroups to inform practice or provide national guidance.

• Conducting needs assessments to determine grantee needs.

• Supporting grantees in implementing their grant-funded project.

• Helping grantees problem-solve as they encounter specific barriers or challenges during implementation.

• Serving as a trainer at national, regional, or state trainings.

• Providing training at a grantee site.

• Presenting on webinars.

• Co-facilitating a weekly learning session with a group of grantees.

• Developing checklists or other materials to help grantees during implementation.

Consultants with expertise in any of the following areas are encouraged to apply:

• Providing substance use disorder-101 and medication-assisted treatment-101 education to corrections staff.

• Providing substance use disorder-101 and medication-assisted treatment-101 education to community corrections (probation) staff.

• Establishing a universal screening or assessment process to identify substance use or co-occurring disorders in correctional settings.

• Implementing withdrawal management protocols in corrections settings.

• Supporting the implementation or expansion of medication-assisted treatment (MAT) in a correctional setting.

• Providing evidence-based substance use disorder treatment and recovery support pre-release.

• Incorporating peer recovery support in correctional settings.

• Working with community corrections/community-based partners to continue treatment and recovery support services upon release to the community.

• Working with state agency partners to enroll or reenroll individuals in Medicaid at the time of release.

• Working with correctional healthcare providers to overcome barriers at the institution, program, regulatory, or system levels.

• Working with correctional leadership to overcome barriers at the institution, program, regulatory, or system levels.

• Implementing contingency management programs in corrections settings.

• Supporting rural jails and their partners to implement or expand MAT in correctional settings.

• Establishing mobile MAT programs.

• Establishing or supporting MAT programs in corrections settings via teleservices.

• Working with probation staff to coordinate access to MAT upon release into the community.

These services will be provided on an as-needed basis to Rulo Strategies by agreement described in specific task orders and based on the terms outlined in the agreement with Rulo Strategies.

Selection Criteria

During the review process, we will focus primarily on the following criteria to evaluate responses that meet the minimum qualifications:

• Your qualifications and experience.

• Your familiarity with the issues and initiatives associated with this project.

• Your work experience.

• Prior experience serving as a subject-matter expert or consultant.

• Your availability.

Compensation

Rulo Strategies compensates COSSUP consultants at a rate of $100 an hour. The only exception to this established rate is consideration for medical professionals.

Application Process

To apply, please submit your resume or CV at this link and answer a few questions about your background.

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis.