HHS Awards Nearly $250 Million for Addiction Treatment, Mental Health

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration on Thursday awarded $247.9 million in grants to expand addiction treatment, overdose prevention and mental health services in communities across the country, the Department of Health and Human Services announced.

The package, the latest in a rapid series of discretionary funding rounds this fall, spans ten grant programs — from medications for opioid use disorder and first-responder training to school-based mental health services and child trauma treatment.

"HHS is investing nearly $250 million to put lifesaving treatment and recovery services directly into communities across America," HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. said in the announcement, framing the awards as part of the administration's Great American Recovery initiative.

Addiction treatment and overdose reversal take $107 million

The largest single award, $69.4 million, goes to the Medication-Assisted Treatment — Prescription Drug and Opioid Addiction program, which funds states, tribes and providers to expand access to medications for opioid use disorder. The program is the main federal channel for growing capacity in medication-assisted treatment, the approach federal agencies consider the standard of care for opioid addiction.

Another $34.6 million flows through the First Responders-Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act program, which trains firefighters, paramedics, police officers and community members to administer and distribute overdose reversal medications such as naloxone. The Comprehensive Opioid Recovery Centers program received $3.3 million to establish facilities offering the full range of evidence-based prevention, treatment and recovery services under one roof.

"These grants will help communities reach people at critical moments, such as when a child is struggling with trauma, when someone is ready to seek treatment for opioid use disorder, when a first responder arrives at the scene of an overdose, or when a person in recovery is working to rebuild their life," said SAMHSA Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Christopher D. Carroll.

Schools and child trauma programs get the largest share

More than half of the money — roughly $129 million — is aimed at mental health services rather than substance use programs. Project AWARE received $54.9 million to help local and tribal education agencies strengthen mental health services for school-aged youth, including work on substance use and co-occurring disorders.

The National Child Traumatic Stress Initiative's community treatment centers program was awarded $41.8 million to expand trauma treatment for children and families. Mental Health Awareness Training grants totaled $22 million for programs that teach people to recognize the signs of mental disorders and connect individuals to care. The Garrett Lee Smith Campus Suicide Prevention program received $8.7 million for colleges and universities, and $1.7 million will fund a national technical assistance center supporting peer workforce development and organizations serving people with serious mental illness.

Recovery housing and workforce support

Two smaller programs target long-term recovery. The Treatment, Recovery, and Workforce Support program received $10.1 million to help people in recovery live independently and return to work. The Recovery Community Services Program was awarded $1.4 million to expand peer recovery support for people with substance use and co-occurring disorders.

Sixth major funding round since mid-August

The awards continue an unusually dense cadence of behavioral health funding announcements. SAMHSA has now issued six major rounds since mid-August: $96.7 million on August 17, $77 million on August 31, $383.4 million tied to 988 Day on September 8, $1.5 million for faith-based prevention on September 15, and $44.3 million for the Treatment First model on September 18. Thursday's announcement pushes discretionary awards over the period past $1 billion.

Unlike the September 18 block-grant supplements, which were routed to states through existing formulas and restricted in part to recovery housing and infrastructure, the new awards are program-specific discretionary grants flowing directly to states, tribes, schools, nonprofits and providers.

People seeking treatment can locate providers through FindTreatment.gov, and anyone in crisis can call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.