PENNSYLVANIA — The opioid overdose crisis has been devastating for underrepresented communities in Pennsylvania and beyond. The Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) recently announced over $6 million in grants to provide these communities with essential substance use disorder (SUD) services, educational outreach programs, and support.
Unfortunately, drug overdose deaths continue to reveal widening disparities between demographic groups. DDAP Acting Secretary, Dr. Latika Davis-Jones stated, “Communities of color face disproportionally higher rates of overdose deaths and have limited access to substance use treatment or support.” DDAP’s funding aims to supplement resources for organizations on the front lines of Pennsylvania’s fight against the opioid crisis.
In 2020, overdose death rates increased 39% for Black Pennsylvanians compared to 2019. In 2021, Black Pennsylvanians died from an overdose at a rate that was nearly two times higher than white Pennsylvanians.
Those eligible for this funding included organizations that provide services, outreach, and/or education to communities of color that promote access to harm reduction services, low-barrier SUD and medication-assisted treatment (MAT), recovery and peer supports, and/or offender reentry supports.
Through this funding award, 19 organizations are receiving grants up to $400,000 for a 12-month period beginning July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024. Funds shall be applied toward a range of activities, including construction and building infrastructure, staffing, and evidence-based programming. The 19 grantees and counties they serve are as follows:
| Organization | County/ies Serving |
| Bethany Christian of Western PA | Crawford and Erie |
| Crossroads Treatment Centers | Allegheny and Philadelphia |
| Helping Hands Ministries | Mercer |
| Horizon House | Philadelphia |
| Macedonia FACE | Allegheny |
| Mid-Atlantic Rehabilitation Services (MARS) | Lehigh and Northampton |
| PA Counseling Services | Adams, Berks, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Fulton, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry, Schuylkill, and York |
| Partners for Quality Foundation | Allegheny |
| Philadelphia Department of Public Health | Philadelphia |
| Pinnacle Treatment | Washington and Centre |
| Preventive Measures | Lehigh and Northampton |
| Reading Hospital | Berks |
| Recovery Coaching Services | Berks |
| Tadiso | Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Washington, Armstrong, Greene, Lawrence, Indiana, Westmoreland, and Fayette |
| Three Rivers Youth | Allegheny |
| Tree of Life Bible Church | Allegheny |
| Unity Recovery | Philadelphia |
| UPMC Pinnacle Hospitals | Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Fulton, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Mifflin, Perry, and York |
| Wedge Medical Center, Inc. | Philadelphia |
For more information about the Commonwealth’s actions to combat the addiction crisis, visit ddap.pa.gov.
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