Federal Year-End Spending Bill Includes Numerous MH, SUD Provisions
Grants
PA Department of Labor Offering $250k Grants
The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry has the following grant opportunities that are currently available:
Pennsylvania Industry Partnership Program (IP) Grant:
The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) announces the availability of approximately $4,000,000 in funding for the Pennsylvania Industry Partnership (IP) Program Grant awards. L&I will be supporting Industry Partnership Programming through the competitive award of grants of up to $250,000 to support Industry Partnerships across the commonwealth to improve economic growth, while preparing workers with training for their current positions and future advancement. Projects funded through Industry Partnership grants should identify workforce, education and training, and economic development gaps; coordinate regional needs to support industry needs; identify public and community resources to address industry-identified needs; and increase collaboration among businesses within a targeted industry sector. Eligible applicants include local workforce development boards, non-profit and non-governmental entities, community-based organizations, educational and post-secondary educational organizations, labor organizations, business associations, and economic development entities.
More information can be found here, including info on an upcoming bidder webinar on 10/6/22. The IP grants close on 10/28/22. If you have questions or concerns regarding this grant opportunity, please email L&I.
Schools-to-Work Program (STWP) Grant — Round 3:
The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) announces the availability of approximately $2,500,000.00 of funding for the Schools-to-Work Program (STWP) Grant award(s). L&I will be establishing a STW Program through the competitive award of a grant(s) to a sponsor(s) in partnership with schools in the commonwealth to support the establishment or enhancement of a workforce development partnership between schools, employers, organizations, or associations to create pre-apprenticeship apprenticeship pathways. This NGA seeks applications to support this statewide initiative. Grant awards may not exceed $250,000.00.
L&I also has funding currently available for school-to-work program grants. The STWP grant closes on 10/12/22. If you have questions or concerns regarding this grant opportunity, please email L&I.
If you have further questions, please contact your RCPA Policy Director.
House Appropriations Committee to Consider DDAP’s $317 Million Budget Tomorrow
The House Appropriations Committee will meet for a budget hearing with the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) at 10:00 am on Thursday, March 3. The budget hearing will be livestreamed.
For Fiscal Year 2022/23, the governor is budgeting a total of $317 million for DDAP, which is a 16 percent reduction over the current fiscal year’s budget of $379 million. The decrease is due to a $60 million reduction in federal State Opioid Response dollars.
Of the total amount budgeted from the General Fund for the upcoming fiscal year, $270 million is budgeted for grants and subsidies to drug and alcohol programs. Of those funds, 75 percent ($220 million) comes from federal grants, including:
- SAMHSA’s Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant (SABG) ($80 million);
- State Opioid Response (SOR) Grant ($118 million); and
- Substance Abuse Special Projects Grants ($22 million).
The remaining $50 million earmarked for drug and alcohol programs in the General Fund come from the McKinsey opioid settlement ($5 million) and $45 million in state funding.
Other funds in DDAP’s budget include the Compulsive and Problem Gambling Treatment Fund ($13 million), the Medical Marijuana Program Fund ($6 million), and the State Stores Fund ($5 million).
DDAP’s budget also includes $23 million ($3 million of which is state money) earmarked for operation and administration of the department and its various grant programs. The federal grants allow for a percentage of the funds to be used for operations and administration. Operations and administration also includes the department’s complement, or staffing, and their salaries.
While most of the SABG and state funding earmarked for drug and alcohol programs are distributed through the Single County Authorities, SOR and other special grant projects are delivered typically through a grant process. Details of initiatives that these grants have funded can be found on DDAP’s Department Funding web page.
As the regulator of the state’s addiction treatment system, DDAP’s funding of drug and alcohol programs pales in comparison to the Department of Human Services’ budget for drug and alcohol services. The governor has budgeted $6 billion for behavioral health services for Medicaid capitation rates, $1.6 billion of which is earmarked for drug and alcohol.
More details of DDAP’s budget are available in DDAP’s Bluebook.
DDAP’s Senate Appropriations Hearing is set for 2:30 pm, Wednesday, March 16.
DDAP Announces $15 Million in Provider Stabilization Payments
The Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) announced more than $15 million in grant funding for stabilization payments to substance use disorder (SUD) treatment providers to assist with pandemic-related expenses.
Through 108 grant agreements, 375 SUD treatment provider locations will receive funding. Grantees span across every Pennsylvania county, and all eligible applicants who applied were awarded funding. A list of grantees and awards are available on the DDAP website. However, funding amounts will not be finalized until all grant agreements are fully executed. This funding will aid in pandemic-related expenses, including but not limited to minimizing the spread of COVID-19 by ensuring the provision of testing and support of vaccines as appropriate and delivering quality, evidence-based treatment to individuals who are underinsured or uninsured.
The grants are part of $55 million in federal funding awarded to Pennsylvania through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant Program COVID-19 Supplemental Awards.