According to the grant document, funding of up to $9,750,000 per year or $29,250,000
over three years was available to dozens of communities.
“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 FDA-approved 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. “
According to the information outlined in the program, part of the funding can be used to purchase supplies such as “safe smoking kits” and FDA-approved overdose reversal medication.
Those communities selected for the grants should start receiving funding in May.
The first “community” to receive the “safe-smoking kit” should be the White House.