Quick recap The meeting focused on recapping the recent plan

Anna Unnerstall

August 13, 2026

Quick recap

The meeting focused on recapping the recent planning session with HHSC and discussing how prevention providers could better influence state contracts and priorities. Participants shared feedback on administrative and financial challenges, including burdensome reporting requirements and the need for more tailored performance measures, especially for rural areas. They discussed issues with the RFP process, such as lack of notification for application receipt, limited access to scores, and the need for a more user-friendly submission system. The group raised concerns about curriculum selection, the shrinking pool of approved curricula, and the impact of SB 12 on program delivery. There was also extensive discussion about tobacco compliance checks, the strain they placed on prevention staff, and suggestions for alternative approaches. Members highlighted the importance of provider input in planning future funding cycles and the need for more negotiation and flexibility in contracts. Overall, the meeting emphasized the desire for a more collaborative relationship with HHSC and a prevention-focused agenda.

Next steps

Noelle

amoore

Collaboration

All Attendees: Come prepared to the next meeting to discuss and suggest how to restructure the "3Ps" (population, prevalence, poverty) to better fit prevention programs.https://tasks.zoom.us?meetingId=OdeGNfPnSbWoVDQbbc23XQ%3D%3D&stepId=54b46b2a-9730-11f1-a4f3-9205977284e5

Summary

Leadership Transition and Prevention Planning

Jennifer announced her retirement at the end of September and mentioned that John Haynes, who has been with her for 19+ years, will be taking over. Noelle began the meeting by recapping discussions from a recent planning meeting with HHSC about their structure, leadership role, and how providers can influence their agenda. Noelle asked the group to share their perspectives on what they would like to see from prevention at the state level, moving beyond current challenges like SB 12 to discuss how they could influence overall direction and contracts.

Be Well Texas Discussion Updates

REACH expressed gratitude to Noelle and Anna for facilitating discussions with Be Well Texas regarding administrative and financial challenges, particularly around invoicing issues. REACH noted disappointment that Dr. Potter was only informed the day before about these problems, despite previous communications. The discussion highlighted improvements in HHS's receptiveness during meetings compared to previous encounters, with REACH suggesting that future meetings might be more effective if structured by different program types (recovery, treatment, and prevention) to better serve various-sized agencies.

Process Issues and Funding Updates

Noelle reported meeting with Dr. Potter who agreed to address ongoing process issues and committed to removing audit-level reporting, which was seen as a significant win. The group discussed the need for more specific communication about prevention funding opportunities, with amoore questioning whether they had received information about planning for the next cycle of prevention funding for 2029. There was agreement on the importance of better internal communication and potential engagement with HHSC to gather input from different sectors and regions.

Community Data Collection Strategy

Abigail discussed the need to gather data on population, prevalence, and poverty rates in their communities to provide better input to the state regarding funding allocation. She emphasized that current measurement methods may not be effective for rural counties and suggested developing solutions rather than just complaining about the process. Noelle expressed hope that the group could become more proactive in influencing state planning and suggested resetting their approach to make the group more effective in shaping prevention strategies.

RFP Application System Improvement Discussion

The group discussed issues with the current RFP application system, particularly focusing on the lack of confirmation and fail-safe mechanisms when applications are submitted or deleted. Abigail shared her experience of having a $2 million application deleted from the system without notification, highlighting the need for better verification processes similar to federal systems like SAMHSA. The participants agreed that the current antiquated system needs improvement, suggesting the implementation of score reports and better confirmation processes during the pre-screening eligibility phase.

HHSC Funding Process Challenges

The group discussed challenges with the current HHSC funding process, particularly around curriculum requirements and tobacco compliance checks. Providers expressed concerns about the removal of previously used curricula without consultation and the implementation of formula-based performance measures that don't account for regional differences. The discussion also covered the burden of tobacco compliance checks being distributed across prevention specialists rather than dedicated staff, with participants suggesting potential solutions including focused discussions with HHSC about restructuring these requirements and potentially involving coalitions or PRCs more effectively. Noelle committed to bringing these feedback points to HHSC in upcoming meetings, particularly since the procurement cycle is still open and allows for influence on the process.

Meeting Summaries

The Association
of Substance
Abuse Programs

ASAP Prevention Networking Group