The Cocaine and Alcohol Awareness Program, Incorporated (CAAP, Inc.) was established January 15, 1989, as a non-profit 501(c)(3) program. CAAP, Inc. began by providing counseling services for drug and alcohol dependent individuals on an outpatient basis. Now operating in five locations within the inner city of Memphis, CAAP, Inc. assists over 1,000 individuals annually in overcoming chemical dependency, homelessness, domestic violence, victimization, and other self-defeating behavior health issues. CAAP, Inc. treats primarily -- though not exclusively -- adults with substance abuse related histories, illnesses, handicaps, psycho-social and other behavioral health problems. The CAAP, Inc. substance abuse treatment and supportive service program is similar for all clients who fall within the substance abuse treatment program.
In the beginning, the focus of CAAP, Inc. was on the minority community substance abusers in the inner city of Memphis/Shelby County. Now, CAAP, Inc. has broadened its client demographics. The multicultural emphasis which CAAP, Inc. now reveals reflects both the community in general and the depth of the effects of substance abuse.
The program provides effective and caring behavioral health services for those who cannot afford premium costs. CAAP, Inc. has an annual budget of approximately $1.5 million, with forty-five full-time and nine part-time staff. Headquarters and outpatient services are located at 3835 Lamar Avenue. CAAP, Inc. provides services from 5 different facilities, serving residents of Memphis, Shelby County, and West Tennessee. Current services and facilities are as follows:
Veterans Residential Services, 3375 Winbrook -- treats chemically dependent homeless male and female veterans
Community Corrections, 3835 Lamar -- treats non-violent female felony offenders
Extended Residential Alcohol and Drug facility, 1347 Ferguson -- provides extended residential treatment
Supportive Housing and Residential Services, 1735 Pinebrook -- provides treatment to chemically dependent homeless non-veteran males
Outpatient Services, 1656 Lamar Avenue -- provides the following services:
Alcohol & Drug Treatment
Family First
CAAP, Inc. plans to continue to deliver high quality services and effective programs. There are near term plans to expand a facility to allow treatment of additional individuals. Additional plans include increasing revenue generated from fee-based programs and pursuing a broader array of public and private funding to ensure the on-going operation of the facilities. Long-term plans (3-5 years) include exploring the potential of offering a broader array of housing and services such as: permanent housing for the homeless and elderly, low-income housing, and a temporary job placement service for CAAP, Inc. residents and graduates. These long-term plans will be designed to produce future income for CAAP, Inc. to help ensure on-going operation and growth of the facilities.
To continue to deliver high quality services and effective programs
To increase the ability to deliver current services
To increase fee-based programs and develop other revenue sources to help sustain the CAAP, Inc. programs
To increase funding and diversity sources to ensure on-going operation of the facilities
The mission of CAAP, Inc. is to provide professional, state-of-the-art, compassionate, culturally specific substance abuse treatment and prevention, education, and relapse prevention programming focusing on -- though not exclusive serving -- the poor or indigent substance abusers in the Memphis/Shelby County community.
CAAP, Inc. Culture Values:
Commitment to CAAP, Inc. mission
Cornerstones of dignity and self-respect
Emphasis on trust and teamwork
Religious tolerance
Effectiveness through time restraints, priorities, and low overhead
Strong program management
Premium/high standards of assessment and leadership
Balance of growth with quality operations
The vision of CAAP, Inc. is to be able to treat more individuals by increasing capacity, while continuing to diversity services to meet the needs of more individuals, while still continuing to focus primarily on the poor and indigent substance abusers in the Memphis/Shelby County community.
CAAP, Inc. has established keys to success that enable it to accomplish its mission in the most effective, efficient, and civilized/humane manner. CAAP, Inc. endeavors to:
Continue to deliver services that meet all necessary regulations, licenses and that maximize the individual's chance of rehabilitation;
Maintain or increase the current high clientele success rates;
Continue diversifying services to better meet the needs of substance abusers and those related issues; and
Generate more funding from fee-based programs and alternative private and public sources, decreasing reliance on grants.
On any given night in Memphis/Shelby County, Tennessee, approximately 2,000 people are literally homeless -- in emergency shelters, transitional or permanent supportive housing facilities for homeless people, or on the streets.
During 2001, no fewer than 7,000 unduplicated people were literally homeless for some period of time, receiving shelter, housing and/or services from the local network of service providers. Included in this number were 741 families with approximately 1,700 children --enough children to fill three large elementary schools. In addition to these numbers, another 1,309 individuals and 2,349 families with an estimated 5,400 children requested -- but did not access -- emergency shelter or transitional housing.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development estimates that 49,486 low and very-low income households in Memphis/Shelby County -- the population most at risk of homelessness -- having housing needs, defined as paying more than 30% of income for housing and/or living in substandard, overcrowded housing.
A rigorous, longitudinal California study reflected that every $1 spend on treatment for substance abuse resulted in a savings of $7 in the criminal justice system, along with a one-third decrease in the use of emergency room services. In addition, a study of the cost benefits of permanent supportive housing projects by the highly respected Corporation for Supportive Housing reflected a similar decrease in emergency room visits by residents of supportive housing programs, and an even more significant decrease in the number of residents admitted to residential mental health facilities and institutions.
[* Source of the homeless section: Memphis/Shelby County Mayors' Task Force on Homelessness, Blueprint to Break the Cycle of Homelessness and Prevent Future Homelessness, August,2002, Memphis and Shelby County Mayors' Task Force on Homelessness, Blueprint prepared by Partners for the Homeless, Pat Morgan, Executive Director.]
The Cocaine and Alcohol Awareness Program, Incorporated (CAAP, Inc.) was established January 15, 1989, as a non-profit 501(c)(3) program. CAAP, Inc. began by providing counseling services for drug and alcohol dependent individuals on an outpatient basis. Now operating in five locations within the inner city of Memphis, CAAP, Inc. assists over 1,000 individuals annually in overcoming chemical dependency, homelessness, domestic violence victimization, and other self-defeating behavioral health issues. CAAP, Inc. takes pride in helping with the "total repair" of a person. They have taken people who are destroyed emotionally, spiritually and physically bankrupt with chemical dependency problems, with criminal records and without a home and successfully helped them re-establish their lives and family and obtain employment and effectively help them with their re-entry into the mainstream of community living.
The first facility of CAAP, Inc. was at 1656 Lamar Avenue in 1989. It began as, and continues to be, an outpatient-service-only facility. In 1991 CAAP, Inc. began its extended residential halfway house at 1347 Ferguson. In 1998 the Community Corrections facility located at 3835 Lamar Avenue began serving clients. In 1999 CAAP, Inc. expanded to accommodate veterans at 3375 Winbrook. Finally, in 2000, CAAP, Inc. expanded services to accommodate supportive housing with the facility at 1735 Pinebrook. Last year CAAP, Inc. served over 1,000 individuals.