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The Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) today announced grant awards totaling more than $300 million to help combat America’s substance use crisis, which has worsened during the coronavirus pandemic.
“Against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, the nation is experiencing a precipitous rise in opioid and stimulant misuse and overdoses,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department is committed to supporting programs aimed at addressing the substance use crisis that is devastating communities across the nation.”
The most recent provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that, “there were an estimated 100,306 drug overdose deaths in the United States during the 12-month period ending in April 2021, an increase of 28.5% from the 78,056 deaths during the same period the year before.”
“The substance use crisis in American society has been a persistent and deadly problem for decades, and illicitly manufactured fentanyl and synthetic opioids have tightened the grip drugs have on our society,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Amy L. Solomon for OJP. “The Biden-Harris Administration is working diligently to address these problems by committing unprecedented levels of funding toward research, substance use treatment and mental health services, along with investments in enforcement, response and evidence-based treatment.”
OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) are distributing millions of dollars in grant awards aimed at addressing the substance use crisis throughout the nation. In addition to these grants, OJP is awarding $34 million to help communities respond to public safety and public health emergencies, including crises that result from substance use disorders.
Below is a list of awards being made in Fiscal Year 2021 to address the opioid and stimulant crisis and the needs of individuals with substance use disorders:
Once the awards are made, information about the grantees selected under each solicitation can be found online at the OJP Grant Awards Page.
The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, advance racial equity in the administration of justice, assist victims and enhance the rule of law. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.