Harrisburg, PA – Today, the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) announced an investment of more than $8 million to expand or enhance recovery support services for individuals in recovery from opioid use disorder (OUD) and other substance use disorders (SUD). This opportunity is part of the Shapiro Administration’s efforts to strengthen the SUD treatment system and empower sustained recovery throughout Pennsylvania by investing more than $100 million in SUD-related supports and services since Governor Josh Shapiro has taken office.
“Having accessible community supports is fundamental to recovery,” said DDAP Secretary Dr. Latika Davis-Jones. “This funding will directly improve care delivery and recovery services by addressing the four main areas of recovery: health, home, purpose, and community.”
DDAP is placing a focus on health equity as a part of this grant opportunity. Based on a variety of criteria from the Pennsylvania Department of Health’s 2022 overdose death data, DDAP selected two grantees located in Philadelphia, two grantees located in Allegheny County and two grantees from the remaining 19 qualifying counties with a crude death rate higher than the state average. Further information on the most recent overdose death data from 2023 can be found through the DOH’s website.
DDAP is awarding six grants of up to $1.5 million each for a 24-month period from July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2027 to the following organizations serving the various counties:
- Educational Data Systems, Inc.: Allegheny County
- Veterans Place of Washington Boulevard: Allegheny County
- New Roots, Inc.: Carbon, Lackawanna, Luzerne, and Schuylkill
- NorthBound & Co.: Carbon, Lackawanna, Lehigh, Luzerne, Monroe, Northampton, Pike, Susquehanna, Wayne, and Wyoming
- Public Health Management Company - New Pathways Project: Philadelphia
- Unity Recovery: Philadelphia
Recovery support services are non-clinical services that assist individuals in recovery in gaining the skills and resources needed to initiate, maintain and sustain long-term recovery. They may include care coordination, recovery coaching, spiritual counseling, group support, job training, transportation, and assistance with accessing recovery housing. Recovery support programs are person-centered and self-directed, allowing for the individual in recovery to choose their provider.
All awardees have at least two years of experience as of July 1, 2024 in providing recovery support services and will be able to offer the following services as part of this grant:
- Peer-to-peer support, individual and group meetings in which individuals newer in recovery can obtain support and advice on an individual basis;
- Peer-led recovery educational workshops, events, training, and activities using structured curriculum related to addiction and recovery, life skills, and job skills;
- Recovery health and wellness educational events, culturally based recovery practices, art recovery, recovery social support and inclusion activities;
- Telephonic recovery support or recovery check-ups to individuals who can benefit from a weekly call to remain engaged in the recovery process and to help maintain a commitment to recovery;
- Recovery planning to assist an individual in managing their recovery; and
- Support groups for recovering individuals that are population focused, such as veterans and youth.
Funding for these grants is provided through the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s State Opioid Response (SOR) IV grant program. The SOR program aims to help reduce unmet treatment needs and opioid-related overdose deaths nationwide through state-by-state allocations.
Since day one, the Shapiro Administration has prioritized a focus on and investments in sustained recovery and expanding access to equitable prevention and treatment services by:
- Awarding more than $40 million to retain professionals working in Pennsylvania’s drug and alcohol field through DDAP’s student loan repayment program;
- Awarding nearly $20 million to expand drop-in center services for individuals with SUD across Pennsylvania;
- Awarding more than $6 million in grant funding for 19 organizations to establish or expand SUD services, community outreach and education to underrepresented communities of color;
- Awarding $4 million in grant funding for the establishment of regional recovery hubs to enhance resources for individuals in recovery and promote recovery within communities across Pennsylvania;
- Offering nearly $7 million in grant funding to administer the operations of DDAP’s current Get Help Now hotline for a five-year period;
- Offering $2.5 million in grant funding for community-based organizations and public health programs to assist individuals in accessing DDAP-licensed recovery houses;
- Offering $2 million in funding to implement community-based prevention services throughout Pennsylvania to prevent OUD; and
- Offering $1.5 million in funding to implement community-based harm reduction services throughout Pennsylvania to help prevent overdoses.
Learn more about the Shapiro Administration’s efforts in combating overdoses at ddap.pa.gov.
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