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1992.05.29 :  Grants -- Target Cities Program

Contact:  Tony Sims (301) 443-5052
James A. Miller (301) 443-8956
May 29, 1992

       HHS Secretary Louis W. Sullivan, M.D., today announced $10
million in the department's "Target Cities Program" to enhance
existing alcohol and other drug treatment programs in the city of
Philadelphia, Pa.  The federal award will provide approximately
$3.3 million yearly for three years.
       The Target Cities initiative is designed to help selected
large metropolitan areas improve city-wide drug treatment systems
by making systemic changes in existing drug treatment strategies
and the infrastructure for services.  
       Philadelphia is the ninth city in the program.
       "This award will help improve the drug treatment system of
one of our major urban areas," said Secretary Sullivan.  "This
program offers the city of Philadelphia, the state of
Pennsylvania and the federal government an opportunity to work in
partnership to create a comprehensive approach to meet the needs
of substance abusers."
       The goals of the program are to ensure that alcohol and
other drug abuse patients receive timely and effective help and,
ultimately, to mainstream substance abuse treatment into the
primary health care system of the cities.  The program began in
1990.
       The Philadelphia Target Cities Project was developed
through a joint cooperative agreement among federal, state and
city governments.  The project entails the implementation of five
interrelated components designed to augment the city's existing
substance abuse treatment system.  The components are: central
intake, case management, core services, training and staff
enhancement, and program evaluation.
       The central intake and referral unit will assess and refer
patients to the most appropriate array of services available. 
This component will have the capability to screen incoming
patients for HIV, drug-resistant tuberculosis and sexually
transmitted diseases.
       Case management services will be provided to a substantial
number of patients to facilitate their progression through the
substance abuse treatment system and access to core services not
normally available through traditional treatment resources.
       In addition to substance abuse treatment, core services
include primary and specialized health care, prenatal and
maternal care, mental health, housing assistance, vocational
development, employment counseling, life skills, parenting skills
classes, literacy and nutrition.  These services are critical to
the comprehensive treatment model that is emphasized for the
treatment of substance abuse.
       To meet a need for high quality substance abuse treatment,
the program calls for enhancing professional development and
providing direct training to counselors and other staff members.
       "This enhanced training component will enable the city's
treatment professionals to better deal with the array of problems
currently being seen in the urban areas," said Beny Primm, M.D.,
director of the federal Office for Treatment Improvement.  "In
the past, treatment professionals have not always had the
resources to obtain proper training for handling patients with
problems brought on by substance abuse, those diagnosed as co-
morbid (patients with both substance abuse and mental health
problems) and those who suffer from socioeconomic disadvantage."
       Finally, program evaluation will be conducted to determine
the program's impact and effectiveness.
       The Target Cities initiative is administered by the
Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration's Office
for Treatment Improvement (OTI).
       The Pennsylvania Department of Health will administer this
federal award to the city and will monitor the total project.
       "Working cooperatively with the state and city, we are
implementing a drug treatment program which demonstrates the
department's strategy to upgrade treatment systems nationwide,"
said Elaine M. Johnson, Ph.D., acting administrator of ADAMHA. 
"We are confident this program will provide a comprehensive model
to improve the effectiveness of drug treatment in other U.S.
cities." 
       Since 1990, OTI has awarded more than $58 million to the
cities receiving funding under the Target Cities program.  Other
Target Cities are: Boston, Baltimore, Los Angeles, Atlanta, New
York, Albuquerque, Milwaukee and San Juan.

       ADAMHA is one of the eight Public Health Service agencies
within HHS.
 
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