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60 <br /> The FHRC clinician and PSS serve as liaisons with CAD staff.With appropriate consents, they <br /> communicate each Lantern client's progress towards their goals and assist in tracking outcomes. <br /> FHRC engages with CAD through regular case conferences to review care and progress,while <br /> CAD informs FHRC of new referrals and updates on court involvement. <br /> FHRC employs a team approach to support justice-involved clients. Weekly multidisciplinary <br /> team meetings allow for discussions about clients' needs and challenges, helping connect them <br /> with a broader array of services.Treatment discussions can commence while clients are still <br /> incarcerated or in the community.The Lantern PSS and clinician also work to address social <br /> determinants of health, ensuring clients access Medicaid, housing, food resources,job training, <br /> and employment opportunities. FHRC encourages continuous treatment support for up to 12 <br /> months, aligning with recommendations for sustained recovery and improved life functioning. <br /> Over the past four years, Freedom House has partnered with CJRD on the Lantern Project, <br /> significantly influencing efforts to combat the opioid epidemic in Orange County. Recent data <br /> from the North Carolina Division of Public Health indicates a drop in fentanyl-related deaths, <br /> from 28 in 2021 to 11 in 2024.The overdose death rate decreased from 36 per 100,000 <br /> residents in 2022 to 21 per 100,000 in 2023.These statistics underscore FHRC's vision that <br /> everyone seeking recovery is connected to the necessary care and resources. <br /> Through Lantern Project, FHRC can further our capacity to integrate recovery support into the <br /> long-term goals of justice involved individuals and to expand the application of treatment goals <br /> to foster long-term engagement and support.This initiative will ensure individuals have access <br /> to necessary resources, leading to improved health outcomes and reduced stigma around <br /> seeking help within the community. <br /> Sustaining Lantern Project beyond the current grant period will require us to navigate several <br /> interrelated challenges and to activate complementary strategies that mitigate each risk.The <br /> first and most immediate obstacle is maintaining client engagement once individuals leave the <br /> structured environment of the jail. Housing instability, shifting court obligations, and the <br /> urgency of securing employment often derail treatment plans.To counter this, we have <br /> established a peer-led "warm-hand-off" model in which peers schedule clients'first clinic visit <br /> before release, physically accompany them to those appointments, and provide weekly phone, <br /> text, or tele-health check-ins. <br /> A related barrier is the transient housing and economic fragility that characterize our <br /> population. When a release date is set for a client who will need housing,the Lantern PSS works <br /> closely with the Residential Supervisor and House Manager to determine if, or when, a bed will <br /> be available. Lantern clients receive priority placement when they are released from jail. These <br /> measures ensure that unstable living situations do not interrupt continuity of care. <br /> 4 <br />