This past April through July 2023, the OMNI TA Team scheduled 30-minute one-on-one meetings between one of our TA Team members and folks at each CSB/agency! These were very successful on a number of levels:
OMNI made stronger connections with CSBs/agencies and really enjoyed being able to put names to faces, as we are all much more than an email address!
CSBs/agencies shared valuable insights on successes and challenges with GPRA administration. They asked thoughtful questions about the process and our work together.
OMNI provided TA tips and documents to better support the important work of GPRA administration and data tracking and ensured we have the most up-to-date contacts for all CSBs/agencies. Please continue to email our team as needed when new staff are added (or leave) so we can include them on our emails and provide them access to their CSB/agency Dropbox folder.
In many of our nearly 40 conversations, a number of consistent themes, topics, or questions came up. Here are a few we consolidated as well as our added TA to guide you:
Who should complete a GPRA?
In order for SOR-funding to cover someone's services (i.e., pay for their services because they don't have insurance or can't afford to pay) they need to either have an opioid use disorder (OUD) or a stimulant use disorder. If there are clients receiving services from a SOR-funded staff member (salary paid by SOR) then the clients are eligible for the GPRA regardless of whether or not they have an OUD or a stimulant use disorder, because the staff member's time is paid by the grant. However, in those cases, the patient's bill for services still cannot be covered by SOR-funding because they don't have the appropriate diagnoses. Check out the SOR and GPRA On-Boarding Guide for more information related to the GPRA instrument, GPRA eligibility, and data tracking.
When should a GPRA be administered?
All clients should be administered the GPRA survey at three timepoints: at intake to services, five to eight months after intake, and at discharge from services. The Follow-up & Discharge Information Sheet provides detailed guidance on this timeline for survey administration and data entry. Note: Only one follow-up GPRA and one discharge GPRA should be completed per client for each grant period.
The intake GPRA is the first GPRA survey, completed when the client first receives SOR-funded services. The follow-up GPRA is completed approximately five to eight months after the intake GPRA (also known as the follow-up window), even if the client has already been discharged from services and completed a discharge GPRA. The discharge GPRA is conducted when the client is discharged from treatment/recovery services. This can occur before or after a follow-up GPRA, or even at the same time as the follow-up. Note: We have been receiving duplicated follow-up and/or discharge GPRAs of late. Please review this important News Post with more about this.
What is some guidance around providing a SOR-funded $30 Gift Card?
A GPRA follow-up interview can be incentivized with a $30 gift card from any store and must not be able to be exchanged for cash. Gift cards can be purchased with SOR funds and are managed by your CSB/agency. This incentive is separate from Contingency Management.
Can you clarify how Contingency Management works in relation to the GPRA?
If Contingency Management (CM) is used by your agency, it can be used to incentivize folks to continue to engage in services, which can support completion of a GPRA interview at intake, follow-up, or discharge. CM can be distributed in increments valued at $15 or less, for a maximum of $75 per year. Note: OMNI has a Contingency Management Training recording and slides that provide a deeper explanation of Contingency Management, and the GPRA Administration Tips and Best Practices sheet provides examples of incentives and contingency management.
What are the weekly alerts emails all about?
OMNI reminded folks that the weekly and monthly emails we send around follow-up and intake statuses are automatically-generated emails meant to provide up-to-date information to all CSBs/agencies about current intake and follow-up GPRA statuses. These are merely an extra tool to help CSBs/agencies track these statuses and are sent if intakes haven’t been completed in a while and if any follow-up windows are open or closing soon.
OMNI also reminded folks of the helpful information we share in CSB/Agency Dropboxes, including Weekly GPRA Tracking Sheets. (Check out this Weekly Tracking Sheet Overview resource for a detailed breakdown of what’s in your tracking sheet and how to utilize it!). There are also Monthly Progress Reports, and Annual CSB-level SOR Reports there.
As a reminder, GPRA intakes are incredibly important in continuing to secure funding. Keep up the good work of getting community members into the program to highlight the work that you do in your community!
A huge thanks to all CSBs and Agencies for your input and participation. As always, please don’t hesitate to reach out to OMNI with any follow-up questions or concerns at SORSupport@omni.org.