Oct 8, 2024
The California Department of Public Health/Office of AIDS (OA) provides grants to local health jurisdictions and community-based organizations to support overdose prevention and harm reduction activities, including treatment navigators.
The initiative launched earlier this year and will fund frontline staff at up to 72 syringe services programs (SSPs) through June 2027. CDPH partnered with The Center at Sierra Health Foundation to make funds available in three cycles which began in March 2024, with a maximum total award of $600,000 per program. To date, 55 programs have received awards, and The Center at Sierra Health Foundation will award additional programs in 2025, with a focus on organizations led by or serving Black/African American, Indigenous and People of Color in high-need areas. More information can be found on The Center’s webpage on the initiative.
Additional harm reduction information can be found on OA’s webpage on Syringe Services Programs.
This project receives funding from Opioid Settlement Funds (OSF) through California’s Opioid Settlements.
Oct 8, 2024
The California Department of Rehabilitation (DOR) established a pilot program, Integrating Employment in Recovery, to provide training to substance use treatment facilities on incorporating evidence-based employment services into recovery programs. Through the program, DOR provides vocational rehabilitation employment services co-located in targeted treatment centers throughout the state to serve diverse communities as an integral part of behavioral health treatment.
In FY 2022-2023, four treatment centers were selected to serve in the pilot, based on their abilities to serve diverse populations and offer a variety of services. Individuals in treatment received vocational programming from peer specialists on topics such as career exploration, resume development, interviewing techniques, and self-advocacy.
Studies show that individuals who are employed are more likely to feel integrated into their communities after treatment, and less likely to relapse. Employment provides many benefits for individuals in treatment for substance use disorders, including stable income, positive social connections, and a sense of self-sufficiency. Historically, however, employment and career training has been a secondary focus in substance use treatment programs.
This project receives funding from Opioid Settlement Funds (OSF) through California’s Opioid Settlements.
Dec 5, 2023
Led by The Center in partnership with CDPH, this grantmaking opportunity is for syringe service programs to integrate opioid treatment services and other harm reduction services into existing sites to increase the availability and access of treatment services and to offer related supportive services such as case management and peer support. This innovative project works to embody whole person care and is directly for individuals who use drugs and for expanding care and access to communities often not fully served by current health infrastructures. Funded partners promote health equity in their services by providing trauma-informed care, acknowledging and addressing the intersectionality of participants, and ensuring the meaningful involvement of those being served.
Funds Awarded
Project Leads
Jun 28, 2023
DHCS, with assistance from The Sierra Health Foundation: Center for Health Program Management (The Center), will be providing funding to California’s eligible residential SUD facilities to implement, expand, and/or improve their MAT services. This funding will assist with costs associated with recruitment, mentorship, training and other associated costs to increase provider knowledge and comfort with providing MAT through a collaborative learning opportunity for facilities to implement best practices.
Residential treatment facilities and the inclusion of MAT in an individual’s treatment have the ability to help those with an opioid use disorder (OUD) achieve and sustain recovery. In 2018, California’s Senate Bill (SB) 992 was approved by the Governor and chaptered into law in an effort to prevent those with an OUD receiving MAT from being denied admission to a residential treatment facility. To further boost the availability of prescribed MAT in California, the Governor approved SB 184 in 2022 which requires treatment facilities to either offer MAT directly to clients or have an effective referral process in place with narcotic treatment programs, community health centers, or other MAT providers. Through this funding opportunity, DHCS aims to break through the barriers inhibiting facilities from offering MAT.
This project receives State General Funds from the State of California.
Project Leads
Other Resources
May 18, 2023
Song for Charlie, in partnership with DHCS, will provide a Fentanyl Awareness and Drug Education Program for California parents and youth. This online learning hub will equip California families with factual, current, actionable information and tools that may help parents keep California’s youth safe from harm and facilitate open conversations about mental health, substances, and the heightened risks associated with self-medication caused by the emergence of synthetic drugs like fentanyl in the street drug supply.
This project will feature a website that serves as an online resource hub with information about why teens use substances, how to talk to them about stress, anxiety, and healthy coping skills, and the most effective strategies to communicate with teens about difficult subjects. The website will also provide links to external resources, including content being developed as part of other awareness efforts funded by the State of California. Content on the website will include videos, animations, and interactive material that will be pushed out via social media to drive families to the hub to learn more.
This project receives State General Funds from the State of California.
Project Leads
Other Resources
