The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced on Monday that it is making available more than $281 million in grant funding to support programmes addressing addiction, overdose prevention and mental health challenges.
The funding opportunities, announced through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), cover 15 separate programmes aimed at expanding access to treatment, improving behavioural healthcare services and strengthening support systems for vulnerable communities.
The grants will support initiatives focused on substance use disorder treatment, suicide prevention, trauma care, recovery services, workforce development and training programmes for first responders.
The largest individual funding opportunity, valued at $68.2 million, will be directed towards expanding access to medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder. The programme is intended to increase treatment availability for people affected by opioid addiction.
Additional funding areas include school-based mental health services, trauma care programmes for children and overdose response training for first responders.
HHS also announced grants for community-based overdose prevention initiatives, integrated physical and behavioural healthcare programmes, and suicide prevention efforts on college campuses.
The funding package will also support recovery services and educational programmes focused on federal behavioural health privacy regulations.
The department said the grants are designed to strengthen addiction treatment and mental health support infrastructure while improving access to services across different communities.
The announcement comes as US health authorities continue to expand efforts aimed at addressing substance use disorders, overdose risks and mental health challenges through prevention, treatment and recovery programmes.
