Harm Reduction Program Grant in the United States

Deadline: 7-Feb-22

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) is accepting applications for fiscal year (FY) 2022 Harm Reduction Program Grants (Short Title: Harm Reduction) to support community-based overdose prevention programs, syringe services programs, and other harm reduction services.

Funding will be used to enhance overdose and other types of prevention activities to help control the spread of infectious diseases and the consequences of such diseases for individuals with, or at risk of developing substance use disorders (SUD), support distribution of opioid overdose reversal medication to individuals at risk of overdose, build connections for individuals at risk for, or with, a SUD to overdose education, counseling, and health education, refer individuals to treatment for infectious diseases such as HIV, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and viral hepatitis, and encourage such individuals to take steps to reduce the negative personal and public health impacts of substance use or misuse.

This will include supporting capacity development to strengthen harm reduction programs as part of the continuum of care.

Recipients will also establish processes, protocols, and mechanisms for referral to appropriate treatment and recovery support services. Grantees will also provide overdose prevention education to their target populations regarding the consumption of substances including but not limited to opioids and their synthetic analogs. Funds may also be used to help address the stigma often associated with substance use and participation in harm reduction activities.

The priority populations for this program are rural communities, LGBTQ + and / or racial and ethnic minorities. Grant recipients will focus activities on “meeting people where they’re at” within the context of harm reduction through integrating trauma-informed care and facilitating the use of peer support workers in programming.

Funding Information

Anticipated T otal Available Funding: Up to $ 9,750,000 per year or $ 29,250,000 over 3 years
Estimated Number of Awards: 25 awards
Estimated Award Amount: Up to $ 400,000 per year per award
Length of Project Period: Up to 3 years

Activities

Grant funds must be used primarily to support the following required harm reduction activities:
- Assess organizational readiness and create a strategic action plan based upon identified strengths, gaps (including those related to social determinants of health), and opportunities for capacity development required to implement an evidence-based harm reduction program at the service delivery and organizational levels.
- Develop a sustainability plan to ensure that harm reduction program elements are continued after the grant period ends. This could include collaboration with community partners to share resources or a cost sharing element.
- Develop policies and procedures to implement evidence-based trauma-informed practices throughout each level of the organizational structure.
- Distribute opioid overdose reversal medication and deliver overdose prevention education to target populations regarding the consumption of substances including but not limited to opioids and their synthetic analogs.
- Establish processes, protocols, mechanisms for referral to treatment and recovery support services, referral to treatment for infectious diseases such as HIV, STIs, and viral hepatitis.
- Assemble a harm reduction advisory council that meets regularly to guide program activities and project implementation. Group members should include people who use drugs (PWUD), individuals in recovery, harm reduction service providers and other key community members such as public safety officers, mental health providers and treatment providers.
- Designate staff (eg, Program Coordinator and / or Program Evaluator) to provide program design, implementation, and evaluation to meet grant program and reporting requirements.
- Purchase equipment and supplies to enhance harm reduction efforts, such as:
  - Harm reduction vending machine (s), including stock for machines;
  - Infectious diseases testing kits (HIV, HBV, HCV, etc.);
  - Medication lock boxes;
  - Naloxone kits (as well as higher dosages now approved by FDA);
  - Safe sex kits, including PrEP resources and condoms;
  - Safe smoking kits / supplies;
  - Screening for infectious diseases (HIV, sexually transmitted infections, viral hepatitis);
  - Sharps disposal and medication disposal kits;
  - Substance test kits, including test strips for fentanyl and other synthetic drugs;
  - Syringes to prevent and control the spread of infectious diseases;
  - Vaccination services (hepatitis A, hepatitis B vaccination); and
  - Wound care management supplies.
Grant funds may be used, but are not required, for the following allowable activities:
- Hire and train staff to effectively deliver comprehensive harm reduction services, including but not limited to mobile outreach, motivational interviewing techniques and trauma-informed approaches to break the cycle of trauma.
- Implement a communication campaign focused on reducing stigma related to harm reduction.
- Provide support services for individuals receiving harm reduction services, including but not limited to screening, referral, linkage to care, and warm handoffs to partner services focused on substance use and / or cessation, infectious disease, mental health, primary care, housing, and other psychosocial needs.
- Use innovative approaches in harm reduction programs.
- Provide public education on any state “Good Samaritan” laws related to harm reduction.