HHS Announces $55 Million Funding Opportunity for Latest Iteration of its Tribal Opioid Response Grant Program

The U.S Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), is announcing $55 million in funding for its Tribal Opioid Response (TOR) grant program. This program reflects HHS’ commitment to evidence-based programs addressing opioid and stimulant misuse in tribal communities, as well as the Biden-Harris Administration’s Unity Agenda item of combatting addiction.

“Every five minutes someone in the U.S. dies from a drug overdose,” said Secretary Xavier Becerra. “The TOR program ensures this country’s Native American communities get connected to effective, culturally relevant treatment and recovery support services, which is critical to our work to advance health equity and address addiction and overdose.”

“The TOR grant program recognizes the full continuum of integrated care and services that are needed to help prevent substance use, expand quality treatment, and sustain recovery for people battling substance misuse,” said Miriam E. Delphin-Rittmon, Ph.D., HHS Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use and the leader of SAMHSA. “We will continue to advance innovative and comprehensive approaches to the evolving public health needs in tribal communities.”

The TOR grant program addresses the overdose crisis in tribal communities by increasing access to FDA-approved medications for the treatment of opioid misuse, and supporting prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery support services for opioid and stimulant misuse and co-occurring mental and substance use conditions. Funding will be provided each year for up to 150 grantees over a two-year project period, beginning late FY 2022.

According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the rate of drug overdose deaths among American Indians and Alaska Natives is above the national average. TOR supports the American Indian and Alaska Native Cultural Wisdom Declaration (CWD), which elevates the importance of tribal identities, culture, spiritual beliefs, and practices for improving well-being. Tribal entities are encouraged to include the following elements into grant applications as appropriate: ancestral cultural knowledge, wisdom, ceremony, and practices of American Indian and Alaska Native tribes.

Read the TOR Notice of Funding Opportunity.

Anyone seeking treatment for mental health or substance use issues should call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 800-662-HELP (4357) or visit findtreatment.samhsa.gov.

Reporters with questions should email media@samhsa.hhs.gov.