With increased attention on substance use during disasters due to the COVID-19 pandemic, NASADAD staff have revised an issue brief on the topic. The Disasters and Substance Use: Implications for the Response to COVID-19 brief includes data on recent disasters, policy recommendations, and spotlights on Louisiana and New York’s response to Hurricane Katrina and 9/11. NASADAD recommended the following:

• During a disaster, the federal government should coordinate with State alcohol and drug agencies given the link between trauma and substance use disorders.
• Policymakers should consider specifically referencing substance use disorders in the statute governing disaster declarations (Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act) to ensure a holistic and comprehensive response.
• Supplemental federal funding designed to help respond to substance use disorder needs during a large-scale disaster that impacts all States—such as COVID-19—should be routed through the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment (SAPT) Block Grant, including enhanced flexibility regarding certain allowable uses.

Download (PDF, 163KB)

NASADAD has released an updated appropriations overview to reflect the Senate Appropriation Committee’s introduction of several appropriations bills for FY 2021, including the Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS), Education, and Related Agencies funding bill. The document outlines the Senates’ recommended funding levels for NASADAD’s priority programs within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Department of Justice (DOJ), and the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP).

During the month of September, National Recovery Month, NASADAD Members, Component Group Members, and Staff submitted pictures of themselves wearing purple to help celebrate recovery and spread awareness of substance use disorder issues. Many thanks to Jen Smith (SSA, PA), Secretary and Region III representative on NASADAD’s Board of Directors, for developing this idea.

Cassandra Price (SSA, GA), NASADAD President, included with her picture this note: “Sporting my purple in support of Recovery Month 2020! Congratulations to all of those in recovery and continued unwavering hope for those searching for the path towards recovery. Never give up!”

NASADAD is grateful for the work State Director’s did in their respective States throughout the month of September, and for their ongoing efforts to support recovery every day of the year.

To celebrate National Recovery Month, NASADAD released a proclamation that highlights the Association’s commitment to elevating the value and importance of recovery support services. The document provides recent data on the prevalence and costs of substance use disorders, the role that NASADAD members play in the publicly-funded SUD system, and a commitment to observe September 2020 as National Recovery Month. The proclamation can be viewed here.

In April of 2019, NASADAD sent an inquiry to the Single State Agencies for alcohol and other drug services requesting information on how they were using the State Targeted Response (STR) and State Opioid Response (SOR) grants to address the opioid crisis in their States. The results of the inquiry were summarized into State-specific profiles highlighting prevention, treatment, overdose reversal, and recovery support efforts. Below are brief analyses of the most common ways States have used STR and SOR funds for prevention, treatment, overdose reversal, recovery support, and examples of innovative State initiatives.

Prevention Initiatives

Treatment Initiatives

Overdose Reversal Initiatives 

Recovery Support Initiatives

In 2018, NASADAD developed a timeline of the State Targeted Response to the Opioid Crisis (STR) and State Opioid Response (SOR) grant programs. The timeline outlines key dates, such as: when grants were authorized; when Congress appropriated funds; when funding opportunity announcements (FOAs) were released; funding award periods for States for each of the grant programs; and more. NASADAD has updated the timeline to reflect two recent developments:

• In December 2019, Congress appropriated level funding of $1.5 billion for the State Opioid Response (SOR) grant program, and noted that “stimulant abuse” would be an allowable use of SOR funds in FY 2020.
• In February 2020, the Administration released its proposed budget for FY 2021 and included a request of $1.585 billion for SOR, an increase of $85 million compared to FY 2020.

Access the updated STR/SOR timeline here.

On February 10, 2020, the Administration released “A Budget for America’s Future,” its budget proposal for fiscal year (FY) 2021 (October 1, 2020-September 30, 2021). NASADAD developed an overview of the Administration’s proposed funding levels for the Association’s priority programs within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), as well as select programs within the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). The document compares the President’s FY 2021 proposal to the final FY 2020 funding levels and provides language from the Administration’s Congressional Justifications.

Access the chart here