Shapiro Administration Announces $3.2 Million for Drug-Related Overdose Prevention Efforts

October 23, 2024

The Pennsylvania Department of Health this week announced investments of more than $3.2 million to combat the drug-related overdose epidemic.

The funding for hospitals and other behavioral health-focused organizations will help residents connect with overdose prevention and reversal tools, treatment options, drug checking equipment, and educational services.

“Many overdoses are preventable or reversible. The organizations receiving this funding will provide services and resources to help prevent and reverse overdoses and ultimately save the lives of Pennsylvanians,” Dr. Debra Bogen, health secretary, said in a statement.

The funding comes from the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) via the Overdose Data to Action in States cooperative agreement to expand drug-related overdose surveillance and prevention efforts over five years.

The following programs will receive funding, which will be distributed through the Department’s Office of Drug Surveillance and Misuse Prevention (ODSMP):

Care Navigation

• About:  Grantees for the Pennsylvania Substance Use Navigation Program (PA-SUN)  will implement health system-wide capacity to screen, diagnose, and support care for opioid use disorder and stimulant use disorder, as well as support recovery.
• Goal:  Support emergency department linkage to care via multidisciplinary teams; enhance universal screening for substance use disorder among patients presenting for other reasons to the emergency department; and identify new opportunities to engage and link patients to care.
• Recipients:  Allegheny-Singer Research Institute ($301,470.26); Geisinger Clinic ($315,139.97); Temple University Hospital ($323,579.59); University of Pittsburgh Medical Center ($324,997.74).

Harm Reduction

• About:  Organizations focused on harm reduction will expand drug-related overdose education and naloxone distribution programs and use navigators to connect people who use drugs to services, including overdose prevention and reversal tools, treatment options, and drug checking equipment.
• Recipients:  AIDS Care Group ($306,000); Drexel University ($303,760.67); Lancaster Harm Reduction Project ($266,859.81); and Lehigh Valley Hospital ($288,248.09).

Prevention

• About:  Community-based organizations will work to connect individuals in their community to overdose prevention and substance use disorder services.
• Goal:  The funding will build capacity to help connect people with substance use disorder to services and remain connected to them while integrating health equity and stigma reduction.
  • The organizations can also use funds to create post-overdose outreach teams to connect with individuals within 72 hours of suspected overdose and/or develop case management systems to help individuals navigate the processes by which care may be accessed.
• Recipients:  Men of the Community ($310,650.20); Public Health Management Corporation ($312,500).

Biosurveillance

• About:  A new overdose biosurveillance program will enhance surveillance of suspected unintentional overdose-related emergency department visits in Pennsylvania.
• Goal:  The program will identify new and novel substances introduced into the drug supply, analyze comprehensive toxicology data on drugs contributing to non-fatal overdose, and inform data-driven response strategies.
  • The program will help the sector better understand the drug supply in Pennsylvania along with social determinants and/or physical health conditions that place individuals at a disproportionate risk for non-fatal overdose.
  • Participating health systems will receive up to $50,000 each to support expenses associated with this program: 
• Recipients:  Penn State Health; Temple University Hospital; University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

Additional information about these programs is available online.