Congress’ New COVID-19 Package Includes Addiction Funding

For the millions of Americans impacted by addiction, it’s been no surprise that the COVID-19 pandemic has made the overdose crisis worse. Isolation, unemployment, loss of structure and access to services—it’s been a perfect storm since day one. According to the CDC, 81,230 Americans died from an overdose between June 2019 and May 2020, the highest number ever recorded in just one year.

Luckily, some help is on the way. Today, President Trump signed Congress’ $900 billion coronavirus relief package into law, and it includes help for communities affected by addiction.

Key pieces include:

• $1.78 billion in additional funding to SAMHSA programs for the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant
• $1.5 billion in funding to the State Opioid Response (SOR) Grants
• Extension of the Certified Community Behavioral Health Centers (CCBHCs) Program
• $1.65 billion for the Mental Health Services Block Grant, and at least 50% of these funds must be directed toward behavioral health providers
• $600 million for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics, something Shatterproof Ambassadors have fought for alongside the National Council
• $50 million for Suicide Prevention Programs
• $50 for Project AWARE, supporting mental health once children return to school
• $240 million for flexible emergency grants to states
• Out of the amounts above, $125 million will be provided to tribes

This funding is welcome and needed, but it’s especially noteworthy that Congress recognizes that the public health and economic emergencies created by COVID are making an already dire addiction crisis much worse.

Early next year, we’ll continue to urge Congress to finish its work and pass the MATE and MAT Acts to advance addiction education for medical professionals and permanently remove regulatory barriers for treatment.

If you’ve contacted your representatives about addiction issues this year, you should be proud to see this new legislative package. Your voice made this happen. We’re so grateful for your support. Thank you, and let’s keep up the momentum in 2021.