HHS awards $70 million to combat opioid epidemic

HHS recently announced more than $70 million in grants to combat the opioid epidemic by preventing opioid overdose deaths and provide treatment for opioid use disorder.

“Putting an end to the opioid crisis ravaging our country is a top priority for President Trump and all of us at [HHS],” Tom Price, MD, Secretary of HHS, said in a press release “We are committed to bringing everything the federal government has to bear on this health crisis. Building partnerships and providing resources to state and local governments as well as nongovernment organizations are absolutely critical to this effort. The purpose of these grants is to empower the heroes in this fight — the men and women on the forefront of supporting prevention, treatment, and recovery initiatives in their communities.”

Of the $70 million, $28 million will be dedicated to medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorders.

Two grant-funding opportunities, recently authorized by the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA), will increase access to overdose reversal medications and train health care providers to refer individuals to follow-up treatment.

In April 2017, the 21st Century Cures Act awarded $485 million in grants to all 50 U.S. states, Washington, D.C., four U.S. territories, and the free-associated states of Palau and Micronesia for opioid abuse prevention, treatment and recovery.

These funds included up to $28 million to increase access to medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder; $41.7 million over 4 years to train and provide resources for first responders and others administering an FDA-approved emergency overdose treatment; and up to $1 million over 5 years to one grantee to expand access to overdose reversal medications in health care settings and develop protocols for referring individuals with drug overdose to appropriate treatment.

Kana Enomoto

“The grants we announce today clearly demonstrate our efforts to meet the opioid crisis with every tool at our disposal,” Kana Enomoto, MA, acting deputy assistant secretary at Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, said in the release. “The evidence-based training, medication and behavioral therapies provided here will save lives and help people with addictions start a path toward reaching their potential.”

On May 4, SAMHSA announced two additional CARA-related funding opportunities, which will be open through July 3, 2017. These include:

State pilot program for treatment for pregnant and postpartum women, with up to $3.3 million towards family-based services for pregnant and postpartum women with substance use disorder; and
Building communities of recovery, with up to $2.6 million to mobilize resources in and around the recovery community to increase access to and quality of long-term recovery support for substance use and addiction.

For more information:

To apply for funding opportunities, visit SAMHSA’s 2017 grant announcements page.