New Alert! OMNI’s SOR IV 10/23 GPRA Facilitator Orientation Meeting Postponed!

The OMNI GRPA Facilitator Orientation meeting scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 23rd, 11 am ET has been POSTPONED, with no future date identified at this time. We apologize for this change, but are still in the process of clarifying updated SOR IV GPRA guidance from SAMHSA. We want to be sure to communicate it to you correctly.

We will reach out to CSBs/Agencies once OMNI and DBHDS have identified a new orientation date. A new invitation and registration link will be shared at that time.

NOTE: The GPRA data collection pause is also still in effect. Please review this information if you need a refresher:

If you have any questions, please reach out to OMNI at SORSupport@omni.org. We appreciate your patience with the SOR IV launch.

Alert! OMNI’s Upcoming SOR IV Year 1 GPRA Facilitator Orientation Meeting has been rescheduled to 10/23/24!

The upcoming OMNI GRPA Facilitator Orientation meeting (originally 10/10) has been rescheduled to Wednesday, Oct. 23rd, 11 am ET. We apologize for this change, but we have received some updated GPRA guidance from SAMHSA and want to be sure to communicate it to you correctly.

Please register using the link below to access the Zoom meeting room on the presentation day. If you have already registered for the event, you will not need to re-register. We will send you a new confirmation email, please make sure to update your calendar.

Register Link: https://omniorg.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAtduysrjgjGdAUhdLhlMnAwRoOY7ouIzxJ

To prepare for the new SOR IV grant cycle, we will review information about the GPRA, GPRA administration, and related work for Year 1 of the SOR IV fiscal year, which started on 10/1/24. (Important Reminder: GPRA data collection is temporarily paused. Please read this important news post about this.)

In addition to our topics below, you will have an opportunity to ask questions of us and each other and share your successes and challenges from the past year.

It’s important to note that the GPRA surveys will not change for the new fiscal year. Yet, we wanted to share some information with you all about the following:

  • SOR III Year 2 Overview

  • General Review of GPRA Information

  • Consent Form Updates

  • SOR III to SOR IV GPRA Client Transition Process

  • TA Resources & Communication

  • Upcoming GPRA trainings

If you have any questions, please reach out to OMNI at SORSupport@omni.org. See you soon at the GPRA Facilitator Orientation!

SOR IV GPRA Data Collection Pause Notice

The SOR III grant year ends on September 30th with SOR IV beginning October 1st. SAMHSA recently released new guidance on how CSBs/Agencies are to transition clients and GPRAs from SOR III to SOR IV. Because of this, and with DBHDS’s approval, we are going to pause the launch of SOR IV GPRA data collection until SOR IV funding decisions are shared by DBHDS so that we can communicate more appropriately. That guidance is forthcoming.

In the meantime:

The last day to conduct SOR III intakes, follow-ups, and discharges is 9/30. Please make sure all surveys done by 9/30 are transferred into the correct online form by Friday 10/4. The forms will close at the end of that day.

Thank you for your patience as we navigate the change from one grant period to another. As noted, OMNI will provide guidance soon on how to transition clients and GPRAs. If you have questions in the meantime, please contact us at SORSupport@omni.org.

Register for OMNI’s SOR IV, Year 1 GPRA Facilitator Orientation Meeting: 10/10/24!

The OMNI SOR Treatment Evaluation Team is excited to host a SOR IV, Year I GPRA facilitator’s orientation on Thursday, October 10th, from 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. ET. This training offers a valuable opportunity to convene in a collaborative community forum, learning and sharing insights. So, we're thrilled to have this opportunity to gather our OMNI, DBHDS, and CSB/Agency teams together to go over information about the GPRA, GPRA administration, and related work for Year 1 of the SOR IV fiscal year, which begins October 1st. In addition to our topics below, you will have an opportunity to ask questions of us and each other and share your successes and challenges from the past year.

You will need to register in advance to receive the link to our meeting.

Registration link: https://omniorg.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAtduysrjgjGdAUhdLhlMnAwRoOY7ouIzxJ

It’s important to note that the GPRA surveys will not be changing for the new fiscal year. Yet, we wanted to share some information with you all about the following:

  • SOR III Year 2 Overview

  • General Review of GPRA Information

  • Consent Form Updates

  • SOR III to SOR IV GPRA Client Transition Process

  • TA Resources & Communication

  • Upcoming GPRA trainings

If you have any questions, please reach out to OMNI at SORSupport@omni.org. See you at the GPRA Facilitator Orientation!

OMNI Kudos to ALL CSBs and Agencies for their SOR III work!

Throughout SOR III, we have been highlighting some commendable efforts by CSBs or Agencies excelling in intakes, follow-ups, engaging and supporting clients, and/or demonstrating a "spirit of inquiry" when engaging with our TA Team on GPRA administration issues.

It’s hard to believe, but the new SOR IV grant period and Fiscal Year 2024-25 start on October 1st. As we begin annual reporting to close out the current fiscal year and SOR III, we’d like to recognize ALL of the CSBs and agencies who have been working hard over the course of the SOR III grant period. Your dedication to delivering essential treatment services to clients in your communities and encouraging their participation in the SOR treatment evaluation through intake and follow-up GPRAs has been remarkable. We know that your utmost goal is to provide needed services, but the GPRA dataset to which you all have contributed is rich in information and helps DBHDS, SAMHSA, OMNI, and communities across the Commonwealth learn more about the people they serve and how SOR-funded services may contribute to treatment successes and client outcomes. Thank you so very much! KUDOS!

OMNI Kudos to Alexandria for Their “Spirit of Inquiry”!

As we near the end of SOR III, we want to continue highlighting CSBs or Agencies that are excelling at meeting their intake and follow-up goals, engaging and supporting clients, and demonstrating a "spirit of inquiry" when working with our TA Team on GPRA administration issues.

This month, we’re giving a special shoutout to the Alexandria team! They completed 10 intake GPRAs in the first two weeks of July and have now reached 91% of their annual intake target. Kudos to the Alexandria team!

We know that everyone is working hard toward meeting their intake goal as set by DBHDS this year, and we are here to support CSBs/Agencies as they aim to reach their goals.

If you have questions or need support with any aspect of GPRA administration, please reach out to our team at OMNI: SORsupport@omni.org

TA Outreach Guidance

Our SOR TA Team consists of five dedicated OMNI staff members, each taking turns weekly to be on email duty and promptly addressing your questions. While you may interact with different team members from week to week, rest assured that our team collaborates closely to stay informed about any ongoing or emerging CSB issues.

To ensure the most efficient and accurate support for your GPRA-related inquiries, we wanted to remind you of our key communication practices between our TA Team and the CSBs/Agencies we serve. Please use the following preferred communication channels to reach us so that we may provide you with timely and precise assistance:

  1. Request TA from our team through our Website: Request TA — Virginia SOR Support

  2. Email us directly at: SORSupport@OMNI.org, rather than emailing TAs at their individual TA email addresses

We deeply appreciate your commitment to data-driven inquiry and the impactful work you do in your communities. We look forward to supporting you with your GPRA processing needs.

OMNI Kudos to CARITAS for Reaching Their SOR III Intake GPRA Goal Early!

As we near the last quarter of the SOR grant year, we want to continue highlighting CSBs or Agencies that are doing great at meeting their intake and follow-up goals, engaging and supporting clients, and demonstrating a "spirit of inquiry" when engaging with our TA Team on GPRA administration issues.

This month, we’d like to give the CARITAS team a special shoutout! CARITAS has already reached 100% of its annual Intake GPRA target completion goal, showing great diligence in completing these important GPRA interviews. Kudos!

CARITAS Healing Place Evaluation Assistant Steven Wilson shared his journey from being a recovery participant in CARITAS' programs to continuing as the Evaluation Assistant there. He feels that navigating the programs as a participant has been instrumental in his holistic approach to reaching their intake goals by connecting with participants and starting their recovery journey. He understands the challenges individuals face with scheduling and uses his own experience to enhance the support systems within the programs. Steven shared tips that have helped them meet their intake goal early:

“I have been able to track participants and their progress, which has allowed me to identify the best times for survey scheduling. One of the key improvements I have implemented is offering additional appointment times to the existing schedule of survey interviews. By integrating these new appointment times, we can ensure that every participant receives the intake survey. One of the most impactful aspects of my experience has been the opportunity to connect with the participants who are just beginning their journey. This connection not only allows me to give back to the community that has supported me but also enables me to understand and relate to the schedules and challenges that new participants face.”

We know that everyone is working hard toward meeting their intake goal as set out by DBHDS this year, and we are here to support as CSBs/Agencies aim to reach their goal.

If you have questions about this or need support with any aspect of GPRA administration, please reach out to our team at OMNI: SORsupport@omni.org

OMNI Kudos to Mount Rogers CSB for SOR III Follow-Up Interview GPRA Rate

For this month's Kudos, we would like to highlight Mount Rogers! This agency has demonstrated a high interview follow-up rate of 70%, putting them on target to meet the SAMHSA-required follow-up interview rate of 80%.

We acknowledge that follow-up interviews can be tricky and challenging to capture. To support other CSBs and agencies, Mount Rogers has shared some of their best practices and tips with us:

  • Tip 1: We’ve designated one person to be responsible for reviewing the report/tracking sheet and sending reminders out to staff responsible for follow-ups. She’s also responsible for answering questions staff may have.  We think having a single point person has streamlined communication in this area. Several staff commented that she has been instrumental in this process.

  • Tip 2: SOR GPRA’s are on every agenda for regular meetings held by the programs required to complete them. This offers both a friendly reminder to existing staff as well as an opportunity to orient new staff who may not have been informed upon hire. It’s stressed to staff how integral these surveys are to receiving funding to help people.

  • Tip 3: One of our amazing peers shared: “If I am able to get in touch with the individuals that have taken part in the GPRA survey they usually always agree to complete the follow-up and discharge portions. I make sure to emphasize how much we appreciate them taking the time to participate in the survey and how important their experiences in recovery are in helping to determine future programs, seeing if the programs are working, and what resources our community may need to better serve individuals with substance use disorders. Most of the individuals say that helping others in recovery is important to them.”    

~ KJ Holbrook, LCSW

We congratulate KJ and the Mount Rogers team as they continue to engage and support their clients in their treatment journey and support OMNI in the "spirit of inquiry."

We know that everyone is working hard toward meeting the SAMHSA Follow-up Interview rate of 80%. We also want to remind everyone of a few helpful resources:

  • To facilitate follow-up conversations with clients the Follow-up Reminder Script resource helps generate ideas and tips for each level of engagement with GPRA clients.

  • The GPRA Administration Tips and Best Practices Sheet provides tips on setting up an internal tracking system to help your organization efficiently complete GPRAs and other helpful tips around GPRA completion.

  • The Client Engagement Sheet is designed to be shared directly with clients to inform them about the GPRA’s purpose and what it means to be involved in the evaluation. The section “Why do a follow-up GPRA?”, on page 2, highlights the benefits to the client, the providers, and the community.

If you have questions about this, need support with any aspect of GPRA administration, or have your own helpful tips/processes to share, please get in touch with our team at OMNI at SORsupport@omni.org.

OMNI Kudos to Henrico CSB for SOR III Follow-Up Interview GPRA Rate

For this month's Kudos, we would like to highlight Henrico; this agency has demonstrated a high interview follow-up rate of 62%. This rate is on target to hit the 80% Follow-up Interview rate that SAMHSA requires.

We acknowledge that Follow-up Interviews can be tricky and challenging to capture. To support other CSBs and agencies, Henrico was able to share some of their best practices and tips with us:

“We utilize a collaborative team approach to complete GPRA surveys. We recognize that our wonderful peers connect with individuals on a different level than clinicians and case managers, and we have found it beneficial to have our peers facilitate GPRAs.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200#200.112 Per 2 C.F.R. § 200.112-1113 The Federal awarding agency must establish conflict of interest policies for Federal awards. The non-Federal entity must disclose in writing any potential conflict of interest to the Federal awarding agency or pass-through entity in accordance with applicable Federal awarding agency policy. Failure to adhere to these statues will result in immediate termination of funding.

Virginia’s State Opioid Response (SOR) grant is awarded at the discretion of DBHDS and SAMHSA. All recipients of SOR funding supports evidence-based prevention, treatment and recovery services to address opioid and stimulant misuse and use disorders, including for cocaine and methamphetamine. The SOR grant is not intended to be utilized as a long-term or permanent funding source. All SOR proposals must include a realistic plan for financial sustainability beyond the grant period.