Sep 30, 2022
On September 23, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced the distribution of funds for the State Opioid Response (SOR) III grant program. California will receive approximately $107 million per year for two years, for a total of $214 million.
As a part of its continued effort to address the opioid crisis, the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) is investing these funds in prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery through the California Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) Expansion Project. DHCS will integrate other funding sources into the MAT Expansion Project as well, including State General Funds and Opioid Settlement Funds.
The grants will fund over 20 projects, many of which have continued from the prior Fiscal Year 2018 and 2020 State Targeted Response (STR) and SOR grants. Major efforts underway in California include:
- California Youth Opioid Response (YOR): The YOR Project works with local communities, service providers, and other stakeholders to prevent and reduce opioid and stimulant misuse, use disorders, and overdose deaths among youth.
- Tribal MAT Project: The Tribal MAT Project is designed to meet the specific opioid use disorder (OUD) prevention, treatment, and recovery needs of California’s Tribal and Urban Indian communities. The project includes naloxone distribution and training, local tribal opioid coalitions, and training initiatives for providers offering services in tribal areas, among other culturally informed prevention, treatment, and recovery activities.
- CA Bridge: The CA Bridge Program is developing hospitals and emergency rooms into primary access points for the treatment of substance use disorder. The program also connects individuals to medication for OUD in the emergency room, followed by ongoing care in the community.
- Hub & Spoke System (H&SS): The H&SS Project provides treatment and recovery services in Regional Centers of Excellence across the state.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance use, find help at ChooseMAT.org.
Aug 31, 2022
On International Overdose Awareness Day, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is announcing the awarding of $79.1 million in overdose prevention grants, as part of President Biden’s National Drug Control Strategy, the HHS Overdose Prevention Strategy, and the Biden-Harris Unity Agenda to address the opioid and overdose epidemic.
Read more about the grant funding at SAMHSA’s website.
Jul 16, 2022
The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is now active across the United States. The 988 Lifeline is a national network of local crisis centers that provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in the United States. This new, shorter phone number will make it easier for people to remember and access mental health crisis services. (Please note, the previous 1-800-273-TALK (8255) number will continue to function indefinitely.) The Lifeline accepts calls, texts, and chats from anyone who needs support for a suicidal, mental health and/or substance use crisis.
Visit California’s 988 website to access resources or chat with a trained counselor.
Feb 3, 2022
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) recently released a letter that summarizes changes to California law to increase access to harm reduction services and remove criminal penalties that prevent people from accessing services.
Key points:
- Anyone may possess an unlimited number of syringes for personal use in California. No one should be arrested, prosecuted, or denied services based on syringe possession for personal use.
- Anyone may possess safer drug use materials, including pipes and other non-injection drug use materials, when acquired from a syringe services program (SSP). SSP participants are exempt from criminal prosecution for possession of such items, and the law does not require documentation of having acquired the materials from an SSP.
- State and local government authorization of SSPs is exempt from review under the California Environmental Quality Act.
View the letter.
Jan 18, 2022
California Governor Gavin Newsom’s 2022-2023 Budget proposes additional funding to support providers and communities responding to the opioid crisis. The Budget, released on January 10th, includes funding targeted to the opioid crisis response and Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) Expansion Project. Specifically:
- The Budget includes $96 million General Fund in 2022-23 and $61 million ongoing General Fund for the MAT Expansion Project. Additional MAT resources would be targeted towards expanding the Naloxone Distribution Project, supporting 100 new MAT access points statewide, expanding MAT in county jails, and increasing MAT services within state-licensed facilities.
- In addition, the Budget includes one-time $86 million opioid settlement funds which will be dedicated to a public awareness campaign targeted towards youth opioids education and awareness and fentanyl risk education ($50 million) and improving the state’s ability to collect and analyze data on opioid overdose trends ($5 million) for the Department of Public Health, provider training on opioid treatment ($26 million) for the Department of Health Care Access and Information, and distributing naloxone to homeless service providers ($5 million) for the Department of Health Care Services.
A summary of the budget.
Oct 27, 2021
HHS Secretary Becerra announced a new overdose prevention strategy on October 27th. The new overdose prevention strategy is designed to increase access to the full range of care and services for individuals and their families who are affected by substance use. The strategy prioritizes four key target areas: primary prevention, harm reduction, evidence-based treatment, and recovery support. It also recognizes the need for substance use services to be incorporated into continuum of integrated care to help sustain recovery from substance use disorders (SUD).
