Funding that was secured in multistate opioid settlements by then-Attorney General Josh Shapiro continues to help Pennsylvania expand access to treatment.
Harrisburg, PA – Today, the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) announced an investment of nearly $20 million for 12 Pennsylvania organizations to expand drop-in center services for individuals with substance use disorders (SUD) across Pennsylvania. Funding for these grants is provided, in part, from the portion of opioid settlement funding that was appropriated to DDAP by the General Assembly for the 2023-24 fiscal year.
“Drop-in centers provide a safe, judgment-free place for people to receive daily essentials, harm reduction services, engage with staff to learn about the possibility of recovery and treatment options, and, when ready, get connected to those services,” said DDAP Secretary Dr. Latika Davis-Jones. “This funding will literally open doors for individuals looking for supportive SUD services and can very well save someone’s life by getting them set up on a path to recovery.”
All awardees have at least two years of experience providing SUD prevention, intervention, harm reduction, treatment, recovery support services, drop-in center services, and/or relevant services, and have the capacity to provide drop-in center services to individuals with opioid use disorder and other SUDs. In addition, these grants are also designed to support the delivery of services to address stimulant misuse and use disorders, including cocaine and methamphetamines.
DDAP is awarding 12 grants of up to $1,875,000 each for a 29-month period from February 1, 2025 through June 30, 2027 to the following organizations serving the various counties:
- City of Pittsburgh: Allegheny County
- Lost Dreams Awakening: Allegheny and Westmoreland counties
- Mercy Life Center Corporation: Allegheny County
- FAVOR Laurel Highland: Cambria County
- Willow Foundation: Carbon, Luzerne, and Schuylkill counties
- Booker T. Washington Center: Erie County
- Club Serenity, LLC: Fayette, Greene, Washington, and Westmoreland counties
- Blueprints for Addiction Recovery: Lancaster County
- Oasis Recovery Club: Northumberland County
- NorthEast Treatment: Philadelphia
- Savage Sisters: Philadelphia
- Unity Recovery: Philadelphia
Examples of services these drop-in centers will provide include but are not limited to:
- Harm-reduction services to prevent overdoses and incorporating the services into existing clinical services;
- Addressing social drivers of health through the provision of daily essentials such as food, clothing, showers, and hygiene supplies;
- Access to care and case management systems;
- Access to free healthcare including wound care, Hepatitis C/HIV testing, reproductive healthcare, and dental care;
- Referrals to SUD level of care assessments, treatment, including medication for Opioid Use Disorder, behavior health resources, benefits services, and legal services;
- Survival resources such as shelter and warm or cooling spaces;
- Public restrooms and laundry facilities;
- Mail services;
- Professionally facilitated support groups which offer education, emotional and social support, practical help, and more; and
- Advocacy and other supportive services required to navigate complex issues impacting special populations.
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 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 opioid use disorder (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 the overdose crisis at pa.gov/opioids.