Friday, April 19, 2024
4/19/2024
California's State Opioid Response grant will fund efforts initiated under California's Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) Project. The populations of focus are American Indian and Alaskan Natives (AI/AN), perinatal, service members/veterans and youth. A projected 2,900 uninsured and underinsured individuals will receive direct treatment services for OUDs (opioid use disorders) across the state. Over 270,000 individuals will also be impacted by the grant to prevent opioid misuse and overdose (OD) deaths; with a focus on regions with the highest OD rates. Project activities will concentrate in areas where individuals with an OUD may encounter services including primary care, hospitals, substance use disorder providers, county touch points and justice involved settings. Due to the size, geographic composition and extensive diversity of California, the opioid epidemic has impacted California in different ways. Access to MAT services in rural areas continues to be a challenge as demonstrated in OD rates. Data also shows the AI/AN population continues to be effected at substantially higher rates with OUDs. Stigma and a lack of education continues to lag in areas where individuals could benefit from MAT and engage in other treatment options. While California has increased access to MAT access over the last few years, SOR activities will provide critical resources to improve these services. Utilizing evidence-based strategies, California will focus on expanding current prevention, treatment and recovery OUD efforts. The SOR objectives are to: 1. Develop additional MAT locations through strategic access points. 2. Provide direct MAT services to specialized or underserved populations. 3. Transform entry points for individuals with an OUD and create effective referrals into treatment. 4. Develop coordinated referral processes to better manage high-risk transitions of care (e.g. jails or hospital re-entry). 5. Engage prospective and current prescribers to increase provision of MAT. 6. Enact OD prevention activities to prevent opioid misuse and OD deaths. MAT activities previously initiated under the Opioid State Targeted Response (O-STR) grant will complement and intersect with the SOR. With the O-STR funding, CA has implemented the CA Hub and Spoke System which will complement the activities of the SOR. The O-STR focused primarily on treatment and recovery services while the SOR will have a focus on increasing referrals into OUD services and prevention activities. Medicaid activities around opioids will also intersect with the SOR. All of the SOR projects will educate, promote, and/or utilize all FDA-approved medications with counseling for individuals with an OUD. State departments, local government, health providers, community organizations, foundations and other key partners will continue to collaborate to implement prevention, treatment and recovery services. Stigma, myths around MAT and other barriers will be addressed with key messaging, data, and outcomes around the effective treatment of OUD. Prevention of ODs and OUDs will also play a crucial role in order to decrease the number of individuals impacted. Families and communities will be involved in activities to foster an environment that promotes recovery and that assists individuals in long-term recovery. CA's SOR activities will address the multiple facets of the opioid epidemic in an effort to reach each individual in CA that suffers from an OUD and to prevent additional occurrences.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).
