RESEARCH GRANT PROPOSAL

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Introduction

Health problems have profound impacts on the way of life of the various individuals in the society. Health issues significantly impair productive employment and family life, as well as, threaten the prospects of survival that people have and reduce the worth of life. Therefore, we seek to ensure that we educate the public on the issues of discrimination and joblessness. Inherently, the issue of drug abuse has been a social problem that has had significant health impacts on the noted population. The project targets this region, as the majority of this population comprises of ex-convicts who, as noted, are mostly unable to access employment following the fact that they are discriminated. This population is noted to feature aspects of ignorance coupled with self-denial that influences the tendency to engage in drug abuse. Also, notable is the fact that this problem is transcended to the younger lot in the society who end up with the stated negative tendencies (EMCDDA, 2002).

The project will, therefore, seek to engage these people in educative programs that will ensure that the refrain from drug abuse and easily reintegrate into the society. Through the program, the population will get skills about ways through which they can manage the influences that lead then to the negative tendencies.

There are a number of theories that that aid in the understanding of the problem. The project is targeted towards establishing the root of the issue in order to ensure that the problem is eliminated. The CAP control theory of drug abuse is one of the theories that will be integrated with the solution generated to help address the issue of drug abuse as a social health problem. As noted through the theory, the cognitive approach of the individual with a drug abuse problem is viewed to be a fundamental factor in a person’s development from drug experimentation to the abuse of drugs.

Through the funds, the project will seek to ensure that to manage behavior therapy that will help in controlling the stimulus that are triggered by the cognitive factors (Fergusson & Woodward, 2002). The project understands that what drives most of the people within the targeted population to the social health disorder is lack of employment, stigmatization and lack of a rehabilitation facility for ex convicts. Many of the ex-convicts fail to end their criminal tendencies, but only seek ways to suppress the urge.

It is note that most of the people within the targeted section are ex-convicts and therefore have past records that have a significant influence on their behaviors (Amaro, 2001). For instance, it is notable that violence and is part of the tendencies that this population features. The population also features reluctance to work and most show anti-social tendencies. These tendencies make it difficult for these people to refrain from the social problem in focus (Forman, 2002).

Therefore, with the funds the program will be able to establish ways to help these people manage their behaviors and adopt better social tendencies. This will ensure they can overcome the issue of drug abuse (Amaro, 2001). The intervention targets the anti-social behaviors that are key drivers to the social health problem.The main focus of the program is the violent tendencies and the self-doubt which influences the inability to engage in constructive activities that would facilitate legitimate income generating activities (Kraag, 2006). The intervention program will also seek to encourage respect for social structures such as family. In essence, family values are the most affected aspects that need to be enhanced.

Project Background

Drug abuse is a major social health problem in the society and has been the cause of many ills. According to World Health Organization (2008), the problem of drug abuse has inspired a significant rise in the issues of crime acceleration. In most cases, managing the problem of drug abuse among convicts has been limited to offering help to end the problem for a lot that get released on parole. This has resulted in the ignoring of the others who complete their term and are allowed to reintegrate into the society. Such coupled with high levels of poverty mostly accompanying the individuals after they leave prisons push them to drug abuse that then inspire a relapse back into criminal activities (Fergusson & Woodward, 2002).

In the recent past, programs have been put in place to help reintegrate these people into the society and to help control their criminal tendencies. For instance, work programs have been set up right from within the prisons to train these people on specific working skills so as to have them become able to work easily and generate legitimate income. However, these efforts have been limited by the fact that these programs are restricted to within the prisons and do not seek to follow up after the prisoner is released. From this, it is apparent that the efforts in place over the past have failed to address the main problem hence the persistence of the issue.

Another shortcoming that has been associated with the programs is the provision of job Opportunities for the ex-convicts. However, the employers need to be provided with adequate education on vital concerns such as the social and health impacts of drug abuse (Goodman, 2010). It can be noted that the reason the social health problem remains a menace among the people within the targeted population is the failure to recognize and eliminate dependency. Inherently, many convicts are unable to relate with their cognitive features that mostly lead them to developing drug addiction tendencies (Kraag, 2006).

The social health impacts of drug abuse are among the factors that indicate the urgency with which the concern should be held. It is through the social health impacts of drug abuse that the proposal will point out the essence of having the program funded. As noted, drug abuse is a problem that goes beyond affecting the addicts themselves and results in a strain on social relations that then impacts significantly on their health (Goodman, 2010). One of the situations under which drug abuse as a social health problem thrives is in an antisocial situation. This implies events whereby one alienates themselves from their families and responsibilities following a given influence.

In the case of the targeted population, the major problem often revolves around their reintegration into the society. These people often find it difficult to master a control of their lives and get back into the employment industry. As they alienate themselves from their families and another important part of the society, they affect their families and themselves. This results in stress for themselves and their families, which then cause them to fall under pressure (Fergusson & Woodward, 2002). The pressure then impacts on their cognitive abilities causing them to seek ways of channeling their frustrations. Similarly, the affected lot which includes their families and the population around them end up developing negative tendencies that then helps in accelerating the problem.

With the persistence of this issue, the social health problem becomes a prevalent issue that has an overall great effect in the society. While the project may seem vast considering the lot that is ultimately affected, it is important to note that the focus of the intervention approach is on a small section of the population.  Therefore, it will be possible to prevent its development to points where the cited greater population will be affected (Soyka, 2000). The project also seeks to work in recognition of the fact that drug abuse is a problem that currently affects a major part of the globe and that it is a problem that is inspired by criminal tendencies. Notably, targeting ex-convicts within a given is critical in reducing the workload and resources. This is a pilot program, and we seek to provide quality service to the community. The project will be replicated to other states to help eliminate the menace in other parts of the country hence the realization of a healthier nation (Soyka, 2000).

One of the reasons why the social health problem has persisted in the society also includes the fact that the society views the tendencies as one that should be punished. The affected individuals also brand themselves guilty just as the society views them, thereby making it difficult for them to seek help or to respond to intervention programs to ensure they are helped. Therefore, follows that as the program is put in place it will be operated on a number of targets as will be stated and made lucid. Through a clear understanding of this fact, the proposal identifies ways through which the program will work by setting aside targets that will be clearly explained in order to demonstrate relevance and practicability.

Notably, the perception of the society on the problem of dependence on drugs is that it is a disease that is ‘self-acquired’. Hence, the stigma that often corners most of the victims to the use of drugs (Stallwitz & Stöver, 2007). The project will, therefore, seek to work based on the understanding of such facts. It can be observed that the objectives that the project will work based on these facts, as this will provide the potential for success in effectively addressing the issue and expecting success in the long run.

In a recent study by the world health organization, it is scientifically ascertained that the problem of dependence on drugs is generated by intricate multi-factorial communications. This is between repeated exposures to usage of drugs and the environmental factors and biological factors (Fiorentine & Hillhouse, 2000). For instance, in the case of the targeted population, the problem is inspired by the initial criminal tendencies that are coupled with the stigma from the society. Additionally, there is the lack of programs to help the people from the targeted population effectively reintegrate into the society. It, therefore, follows that as these people strive to redefine themselves after completing their term, the encounter frustrations which then inspire the social health problem that is the concern of the project. This makes up part of the area that will be addressed through the program in place.

Many a times we find that the justice system does not take into account the number of the criminals with substance abuse disorders who are incarcerated with drug-related offenses. For instance, interacting with convicts who have a history of  offenses such as assault, robbery with violence is difficult. The war on drugs has suffered some setbacks on mostly African Americans as a result of the overlapping policy decisions. For instance, drug law enforcement focus on inner cities, very harsh sentences, and the focusing on law enforcement rather than prevention and treatment. The limited options of treatment of substance abuse in these inner cities are likely to make the situation look more as a criminal justice problem rather than a community problem. This has seen more African Americans become arrested for drug-related crimes, convicted and jailed than any other group. This means that alcohol and drug abuse counselors working with ex-offenders will have most of their clients who are African Americans.

Therefore, my project seeks to address drug menace with the help from partners in sourcing for finance. The program is critical since it influences the health behavioral changes of these ex-convicts to the good of the society. Having understood the target group drug related issues, I saw it convenient to work hand in hand with them with the aid of my team of health community workers. From my research, I have seen that this initiative will have a lot of impact on their lives as well as the society at large. Good and sound health would be very important for these ex-convicts so as to relieve them of any kind of mental stress that may lead them back to their old ways. With my project, I saw it convenient to concern myself with the follow up of their lives by giving them proper counseling, medication and assistance that will see their health behavior change in favor of the community.

Previously as a social community health worker, I have dealt with this convicts that were highly addicted to drugs and most of them have improved and got back to their lives. My project intends to gather ex-convicts and counsel them how to share their problems. They will also learn how to create education programs on their health psychology. This is critical as it involves the appreciation of drugs and substance. The last approach is a follow-up program to aid them in their daily lives, which is assisting them in getting employment. One of the greatest impacts you can make in the lives of these people is by being their mentor. There is a need to make convicts understand that they have a special purpose in this life and that they will always have people that love them. From the interaction with them, I have found out that most of them have a feeling of failure and hopelessness in their lives which makes them use drugs that in turn influences their actions. It is, therefore, one of my goals to tame this phenomenon and give them hope and assistance they need for them to understand that they can still make a difference in this life.

Most offenders also seem to be less educated and less skilled, a phenomenon that makes them feel alienated. Their education, mental and social affairs are not addresses in prison that gives me an opportunity to pick from in assisting them. I intend to make them change this perspective by making them interact with professionals who will educate them as well as teaching them a few skills of survival. Notably, some might a pick a line of being community health workers. They will learn survival skills of the outside world which are not as harsh as those of their previous lives.

Arguably, mentorship program entails creating awareness about the importance of living healthy and productive lives. This will see them reform even better than their usual ways as I and my team will also be  giving them improvement incentives just to motivate them. I and my team not only intend to improve their health but also to make them realize their potential and talents. What they can do with their hands while out there is very important so as to be making a living. The follow up part, on the other hand, involves my team of professionals to be doing a closer checkup to those clients who will be feeling that they have already reformed health wise.

In a nutshell, my team intends to make the following impact on our clients:

(a) Give them hope- this boosts their confidence and moral knowing that they still can make it in this life.

(b) Give them positive incentives-this will make them have a feeling of achievement rather than failure.

(c) Clear information- this will help them know what to expect and what is expected of them throughout the program.

(d) consistency- this will make them understand that there will be consequences for not fulfilling the program requirements and this helps them know that they are being taken seriously.

(e) Career ladder- this will enable us to help them on the required skills and information required in their fields.

(F) Transfer of skills- this is so as to help them channel their special skills to something productive to the community. With these aspects in place, I believe this will attract more families to my health program seeking for my professional services.

Goals and objectives of the project

1. Need for enabling health promotion programs to improve the health and wellness of ex-convicts and drug abusers. It is acknowledged that there are over 650 million individuals that have chronic issues globally. This increases the pressure and strain on the country’s social structure and health services. The factors contributing to this growth include; advances in technology and health care, survival of children and adults with chronic illnesses.
2. To improve the health of these targets the proposed programs incorporates rehabilitation clinics for patients with acute illnesses or injuries. All health care providers will be required to focus on strategies that enable people with continuing or pre-existing illness to achieve a quality level of health and wellness through health promotion efforts.
3. Establish a forum that promotes physical activities of individuals. This is a major objective for ex-convicts and the drug addicts. A strong state of science supports the notion that regular physical activities include participating in moderate and vigorous physical activities and muscle strengthening activities. This ensures that the target group is at a position to release stress and succumb to the body and behavioral adjustments.
4. The physical activities are positively affected by the structural environment in America such as bike lanes, availability of sidewalks and parks. This ensures there are no road congestions while conducting the physical activities.
5. Another aspect entails the legislative policies that promote the accessibility to facilitate the support. The importance of physical activities is that it improves the health of all individuals in America regardless of presence of illnesses.

To promote affordable health care services and transportation services by coordinating with the prison facilities. The main reason as to why many ex-convicts do not receive the necessary health care attention is due to low income. There exists the issue of limited availability of health services in prisons; this increases the risks of death rates. This project’s goals focus on ensuring that these issues are promptly met. It also tackles the aspect of doctors with inadequate skills and knowledge by assessing the existing policies, identifying priorities to reduce health discrimination and plan enhancement access and inclusion. These goals comply with the CRPD and establish health care standards that ensure care for targeted group with enforcement mechanism.

Acquiring the necessary funds so as to accomplish the objectives of this project is critical. This can be achieved by emphasizing that the individuals register with the necessary health insurance for the care financing purposes. This ensures that the targeted population is covered and the considered measures are taken to make affordable premiums. It also encourages the heath care providers formulate services available and provide comprehensive treatment and follow-ups. In addition, it reduces health discrimination of individuals with discomfort and has no other means of financing their healthcare. These finances help in modification and adjustments of accommodation to facilitate access to health care services. For instance, empowering the ex-convicts to improve their health by providing information, training and changing physical layout of the clinics enables quality health care services. Finance ensures the programs run effectively and efficiently.

The project accomplishes by receiving support from the Member state to increase awareness of the ex-convict and prison facilities issues. It further incorporates this matter as a component in the national health programmes. It also develops normative tools and guidelines that strengthen the health care facilities. Promotion strategies are accomplished by ensuring that the patients are knowledgeable about their own health conditions and doctors support and protect the rights and dignity of these targeted persons. Therefore, in attaining the accomplishments it ensures building of capacity among health policy makers and service providers.

The projects will also ensure quality health care services are administered to these people with total attention. This can be achieved by hiring professional doctors to attend to the patients so as to eradicate the issue of health discrimination. Voluntary programmes will be set so that the ex-convict individuals will be at a position to participate in and gain health knowledge as well as be able to attain good behavior. Notably, the health care in the United States is usually complex, highly split, and often restrictive in terms of program eligibility. Therefore this program focuses on ensuring that these people attain the necessary health care coverage and insurance benefits that allows them to obtain health-preserving prescription medications, specialty care and car coordination.

Activities that the project can participate in to achieve their goals

Case management refers to intervention for substance abusers and ex-convicts by being conversant in epidemiology, communication routes, and the progression of the illnesses.

1. This activity entails direct conversation with the victims; in our case are the ex-convicts and drug abusers. It helps in knowing the challenges faced and how they feel and progression of the treatment prescribed. The manager is entitled to acknowledge all the problems and needs and ensure financial and legal ramifications are available and quality services. These activities are of vital essence because they promote care services. The project manager can take the initiative of visiting the prison facilities and examine the problems related to health care to administer the appropriate remedy.
2. The program will engage educating the convicts on approaches to rehabilitation. Education is significant as it enlightens the ex-convicts and drug addicts of the importance of preventive health services. in developing materials in accessible formats with appropriate reading level. This is to accommodate the less educated to understand their health progression. The project will take the initiative to form partnership with variety of state and private agencies to coordinate efforts in increasing services and eradicating barriers that inhibit quality health services. This encourages them to advocate for their health needs in a peaceful manner.  The project will also form partnership with other organizations that advocate and serve people that are denied quality medical attention. This leverages the programs and work they are doing and creates a greater reach out to the patients.
3. Working with other healthcare providers to ensure medical equipments, facilities and building are accessible to increase the utilization. In doing this, they encourage providers to campaign for their patients and ensure the available resources is used to treat patients. This may also help to develop policies in institutions to encourage health users provide provisional transition services and promote continuation of care in the event of service plan change.

These policies should be strengthened and enforced to create awareness of the necessary requirements and ensuring the targeted group receives culturally appropriate care. The program will further advocate for inclusion of the drug addicts concerns in the design, planning, and implementation of community interventions. Participating in such activities enables the voices of the less fortunate be heard and adhered to promptly.

Timeline

We just need to create a good surrounding atmosphere, a place that is free of noise and other forms of pollution so as to administer the proper attention and care our clients would need. Once I receive the grants, I will give my team the go ahead signal since the technical aspects need to be laid down as early as possible. I intend to commence the project on or before January 30^th.

February 2nd-May30th: First phase will constitute establishing of educative and recreational facilities. While doing this, I will be advertising my program through posters and conferences creating awareness so as to end the stigma. Since the program will entirely benefit the community, their support will be a milestone for this initiative.

June2nd-Sept30th: Second phase will involve liaising with government institutions such as correctional facilities in order to initiate this active part of the program that also make contact with the target group. This will also include seminars with the aim of seeking volunteers to facilitate the program.

Oct 1^st-Jan 30^th: this is the last phase, which will be marking one year since the rollout of the program. By this date, the project will have established its roots and be a self-sustaining unit so as to give the society fully baked individuals. This will enable us have our professionals for the efficacy and timely of our programs.

Budget

Consulting services

Office supplies

Personnel

Equipment

References

Amaro H. (2001) An expensive policy: the impact of inadequate funding for substance abuse treatment. [Editorial] American Journal of Public Health 1999;89:657-659.

Anderson T, Rosay A & Saum C. (2002). The Impact of Drug use and Crime Involvement on Health Problems Among Female Drug Offenders. The Prison Journal. Pdf

Crome, I. B. (2007) An Exploration of Research Into Substance Misuse and Psychiatric Disorder in  the UK: What Can We Learn From History? Criminal Behaviour and Mental Health, 17,           pp.204–214.

Colman, I., Murray, J., Abbott, R. A., Maughan, B., & Kuh, D. (2009). Outcomes of conduct problems in adolescence: 40 year follow-up of national cohort. British Medical Journal,  338, 1–10.

deGraaf, R., Bijl, R.V., Smit, F., Vollebergh, W.A., & Spijker, J. (2002). Risk factors for 12-month comorbidity of mood, anxiety, and substance use disorders: findings from the Netherlands mental health survey and incidence study. American Journal of Psychiatry, 159, 620–629.

Dolan K, Rutter S & Wodak AD (2003). Prison-based syringe exchange programmes: a review of international research and development. Addiction 98(2):153-8.

EMCDDA (2001). Annual report on the state of the drugs problem in the European Union. Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities.

EMCDDA (2002). Annual report on the state of the drugs problem in the European Union and Norway. Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities.

Fergusson, D. M., & Woodward, L. J. (2002). Mental health, educational, and social role outcomes of adolescents with depression. Archives of General Psychiatry, 59, 225–231.

Fiorentine, R., & Hillhouse, M. (2000). Drug treatment and 12-step program participation: The additive effects of integrated recovery activities. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 18(1), 65-74.

Forman, R.F. (2002). One AA meeting doesn’t fit all: 6 keys to prescribing 12-step programs. Psychiatry Online, 1(10), 1-6.

Goodman, A. (2010). Substance use and common child mental health problems: Examining longitudinal associations in a British sample. Addiction, 105, 1484–1496.

Grant, B. F., Stinson, F. S. Dawson, D.A., Chou, P., Dufour, M.C., Compton, W., Pickering, R.P.,  & Kaplan, K. (2004). Prevalence and co-occurrence of substance use disorders and independent mood and anxiety disorders. Archives of General Psychiatry, 61, 807–816.

Kraag, G., Zeegers, M.P., Kok, G., Hosman, C., and Abu-Saad, H.H. (2006). School programs targeting stress management in children and adolescents: A meta-analysis. Journal of School Psychology, 44(6), 449–472.

Kinlock TW, Battjes RJ, Schwartz RP; MTC Project Team (2005). A novel opioid maintenance program for prisoners: report of post-release outcomes. Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse 31(3):433-54.

Soyka, M. I. C. H. (2000) Substance misuse, psychiatric disorder and violent and disturbed behaviour, The British Journal of Psychiatry, 176, 4, pp.345–350.

Stallwitz A, & Stöver H (2007). The impact of substitution treatment in prisons – a literature review. Int J Drug Policy 18(6):464-74.

Taylor, I., Sharland, E., Sebba, J., Leriche, P., Keep, E., & Orr, D. (2006) SCIE Knowledge Review 10: The Learning, Teaching and Assessment of Partnership Work in Social Work Education, London, Social Care Institute of Excellence.

Taylor, A., Toner, P., Templeton, L., & Velleman, R. (2006) Parental alcohol misuse in complex families: the Implications for engagement, British Journal of Social Work, Advance Access,  20 December.

WHO Regional Office for Europe (2007). Health in prisons. A WHO guide to the essentials in prison health.

Assessment:

Overall Impression
This grant proposal has issues with commas, strange phrasing, incorrect word usage, a lack of specificity, typographic errors, a lack of technical consistency, issues with tense, missing articles, informal language in a formal document, missing words, incorrect capitalization, incorrect usage of prepositions, a lack of flow in the organization at times, incomplete sentences, a lack of in-text citations when claims are present, incorrect usage of dashes, misspellings, and the incorrect usage of semicolons. In other words, a gamut of issues. However, the essay is understandable, most of the time. The main thing is that they writer should edit his or her work more seriously and also get the help of a peer to look over his or her work with a close eye. With a few rounds of editing, this can be a decent grant proposal.