Jun 9, 2021
The Peer Workforce Investment (PWI) Request for Applications (RFA) was released on June 3, 2021, to expand behavioral health peer-run programs. Grants will be awarded to:
- Expand peer-run behavioral health program staffing and capacity to assist people;
- Elevate the profile of behavioral health peer-run programs with other entities in their communities and statewide through outreach and collaboration;
- Enhance the quality of peer-run programming statewide through education, training, and improved monitoring and supervision; and
- Empower peer-run programs to realize their full potential, including through strategic planning, and management support.
This RFA is part of the California Department of Health Care Services’ (DHCS’) Behavioral Health Workforce Development Project to expand, elevate, enhance, and empower behavioral health peer-run programs in every California community. DHCS has contracted with Advocates for Human Potential, Inc. (AHP) to implement this project.
Applications are due at 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time on July 2, 2021.
Apply
May 10, 2021
This funding opportunity is part of the California MAT Access Points Project. The MAT Access Points Project funds organizations throughout California to address opioid and stimulant use disorder by supporting and expanding prevention, education, stigma reduction, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery services. This opportunity will support prevention and treatment programs addressing stimulant use in communities of color, particularly Black, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Hispanic/Latino, which have been disproportionately impacted by the War on Drugs and have experienced substantial stimulant-related overdose deaths. Activities implemented through this funding opportunity should focus on 1) increased access to stimulant use prevention services for and within communities of color or 2) increased access to stimulant use treatment services for and within communities of color. Eligible organization can apply for up to $100,000 for prevention activities or up to $250,000 for treatment activities. Send questions related to this funding opportunity to mataccesspoints@shfcenter.org with the subject line “Stimulant Use RFA Question”.
Access the request for applications
Apr 28, 2021
On April 27th, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released new buprenorphine practice guidelines, which include the decision to allow any physician with a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) license to treat up to 30 in-state patients with buprenorphine. Currently, doctors, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners must complete a training and receive a waiver (referred to as the “X-waiver”) before prescribing buprenorphine.
HHS had released similar guidance to remove this training requirement under the Trump administration on January 14th, but the Biden administration froze this proposal, along with many other new regulations, in late January. The new announcement allows physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, clinical nurse specialists, certified nurse anesthetists, and certified nurse midwives to treat up to 30 patients with buprenorphine. Those providers will still need to submit a notice of intent to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) that they intend to prescribe buprenorphine.
“Increases in overdose deaths emphasize the need to expand access to evidence-based treatments, including buprenorphine that can be prescribed in office-based settings,” said Rachel Levine, the assistant secretary for health. “These guidelines provide another tool to help communities respond to the evolving overdose crisis, equipping providers to save lives in their communities.”
Apr 12, 2021
The California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) and the California Product Stewardship Council (CPSC) have finished installing approximately 250 safe medication disposal bins (med bins) across California, expanding the network of med bins for the public to use for free.
These efforts are part of the California Drug Take-Back Program, which provides med bins for the safe disposal of unwanted, unneeded, or expired medication. The state created this program to combat the opioid crisis and reduce the misuse of medications. It provides publications that explain how to use med bins, offers a comprehensive med bin locator map, and educates the public on the benefits of using med bins.
“Due to the ongoing pandemic, this expansion of the med bin program couldn’t be more timely. Unused medications that are not disposed of properly can cause a myriad of serious public safety concerns,” said CPSC Executive Director Doug Kobold in a release.
DHCS funded the Drug Take-Back Program, which ended March 31st, 2021, with a $3 million grant through the Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) program. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) supports the MAT program under the State Opioid Response grant.
Apr 7, 2021
On April 1st, 2021, the Biden-Harris Administration released their drug policy priorities for their first year in office. Statutorily due to Congress in an inaugural year, these priorities are:
- Expanding access to evidence-based treatment;
- Advancing racial equity issues in drug policy;
- Enhancing evidence-based harm reduction efforts;
- Supporting evidence-based prevention efforts to reduce youth substance use;
- Reducing the supply of illicit substances;
- Advancing recovery-ready workplaces and expanding the addiction workforce; and
- Expanding access to recovery support services.
The Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) will coordinate these drug policies by convening federal agencies and setting drug control budget and policy priorities for the government.
This statement complements the appropriations for behavioral health services in the American Rescue Plan, which President Biden signed into law in March. The law provides nearly $4 billion to enable the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and the Health Resources and Services Administration to expand access to behavioral health services.
Jan 27, 2021
On January 14th the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced new guidance to allow any physician with a DEA license to prescribe buprenorphine to patients for the treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD). The guidance, Practice Guidelines for the Administration of Buprenorphine for Treating Opioid Use Disorder, would allow any physician with a DEA license to treat up to 30 in-state patients with buprenorphine. This guidance signaled a major change to previous policy, which required providers to complete a training and receive a waiver before being able to prescribe buprenorphine.
On January 27th the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) released a statement that the announcement was made prematurely and the guidelines would not be issued at this time. California is following updates from federal partners on this issue, and will provide an update on the final policy once this information becomes available.
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