WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a significant move towards addressing America’s escalating substance abuse and mental health crisis, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently announced funding opportunities totaling about $28 million. This initiative, led by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), aims to expand substance use disorder (SUD) treatment services among pregnant and postpartum women and through adult and family treatment drug courts.
This funding is part of President Biden and Vice President Harris’s Unity Agenda for the nation, a comprehensive strategy to tackle the overdose epidemic and mental health crisis.
HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra emphasized the administration’s commitment to combating these public health emergencies. “This funding underscores our relentless drive to enhance and expand treatment and support services for people in need, including pregnant and postpartum women, wherever and whenever they need them,” he said.
Miriam E. Delphin-Rittmon, Ph.D., HHS Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use and the leader of SAMHSA, highlighted the potential impact of this funding. She stated that the grant programs could create lasting systemic changes leading to healthier families and communities.
The two specific grant funding opportunities being announced are:
- Grants to Expand Substance Use Disorder Treatment Capacity in Adult and Family Treatment Drug Courts (SAMHSA Treatment Drug Courts) – $24.4 million: This program seeks to expand SUD treatment and recovery support services in existing drug courts, recognizing the need for treatment instead of incarceration for individuals with SUD. These awards will support a continuum of care, including prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery services, for those involved with the courts due to SUD issues.
- State Pilot Grant Program for Treatment for Pregnant and Postpartum Women – $3.6 million: This program is designed to support family-based services for pregnant and postpartum women with a primary diagnosis of SUD, particularly opioid use disorders. The funding will help state agencies address the continuum of SUD care, including services provided to pregnant and postpartum women in outpatient settings. These awards aim to promote a coordinated state system managed by state substance agencies by encouraging new approaches and models of service delivery.
These awards facilitate ongoing efforts across HHS to advance its Overdose Prevention Strategy, which is focused on prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery. These awards also support the Biden-Harris Administration’s comprehensive mental health strategy, as well as the National Drug Control Strategy, which delivers on President Biden’s Unity Agenda for a whole-of-government approach to beat the overdose epidemic and tackle the mental health crisis.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. To learn how to get support for mental health, drug or alcohol issues, visit FindSupport.gov. If you are ready to locate a treatment facility or provider, you can go directly to FindTreatment.gov or call 800-662-HELP (4357).
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