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On Friday, October 6, Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28) joined Serving Children and Adults in Need (SCAN), Inc. President and CEO Isela Dabdoub and SCAN Vice President Dr. Christopher Craddock to announce two federal grants totaling $1,973,630.



“These federal funds and programs are a great investment for maintaining healthy communities along the border,” Congressman Cuellar said. “It is one of my priorities as your U.S. congressman to bring federal resources to keep our people safe, healthy and prosperous. I believe we must continue to provide extensive outreach and prevention services. I congratulate Ms. Dabdoub and everyone at SCAN on receiving these two awards from HHS and for their invaluable work that they provide to improve the lives of our the people of our community.”

The first grant is awarded from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) - Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) in the amount of $1 million, or $200,000 per year for five years, to be used to implement the South Texas Prevention Navigator Project, which aims to reduce the occurrence of substance abuse, HIV and viral hepatitis among local youth and young adults.

Specifically, the grant will expand SCAN’s current efforts to provide substance abuse and HIV prevention services to youth between the ages of 13 and 17 and young adults between the ages of 18 and 24 in Webb, Zapata and Star Counties. SCAN will take a community approach to treatment. On top of traditional counseling, substance abuse treatment services and case management, SCAN will use these funds to create a prevention workgroup, recruiting community health workers, young adult peers, mentors and other key stakeholders and train them to recognize the link between substance abuse and HIV and viral hepatitis infection, and effective prevention strategies.

SCAN’s South Texas Prevention Navigator Project will also provide additional outreach to ensure these youth receive prevention services, rapid testing, medical care and referral services. The goal of the program is to increase access to care and expand services for prevention as well as improve outcomes for a minimum of 950 people over the life of the project.

The second grant is awarded from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - Administration for Children and Families in the amount of $973,630, or $194,000 per year for five years, and will allow SCAN to reopen the Arco Iris Transitional Living Program and continue operations for the next five years. the Arco Iris Transitional Living Program will provide shelter and comprehensive support services to runaways and homeless youth between the ages of 16 and 21.

During the course of five years, SCAN will use these funds to provide case management, counseling, life skills education and referrals to community services providers, such as doctors and workforce centers. The program will also provide 125 youth and young adults with shelter and another 125 with non-residential comprehensive services.

“At SCAN, we are dedicated to helping others in need and constantly seek to fill gaps in services,” said Dr. Christopher Craddock, Vice President of SCAN, Inc. “The South Texas Prevention Navigator Project will help the agency expand the provision of evidence-based substance abuse and HIV prevention services to adolescents and young adults in Starr and Zapata counties. The Arco Iris Transitional Living Program grant will help SCAN provide runaway and homeless youth in Webb County with access to safe shelter and a variety of prevention and support services to foster their healthy development. We are very thankful to the Administration for Children and Families and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration for selecting SCAN to receive these grants.”