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HHS awards $8.8 million to continue support of families affected by substance use

Crystal Graham
substance abuse
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Eighteen grants totaling $8.8 million were awarded to increase well-being, improve permanency and enhance the safety of children who are in, or at risk of, an out-of-home placement as a result of a parent’s or caregiver’s opioid or other substance misuse.

Announced by the Administration for Children and Families at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the regional partnership grants will be cooperative agreements funded at a maximum of $600,000 annually for a five-year project period.

“Substance use takes a multi-faceted toll on children and families. This investment allows cross-sector partners to develop and implement family-centered solutions that put an important lifeline within reach when they need it most,” said January Contreras, ACF assistant secretary.

The regional partnership grant program represents the only source of funding specifically focused on the intersection of substance-use disorders, including opioid addiction and child welfare involvement.

The partnerships implement a range of activities and interventions, including peer recovery coaching, family-centered substance use disorder treatment, parenting and family strengthening programs, services to pregnant and postpartum women, medication assisted treatment, in-home parenting and child safety support for families and related evidence-based practices, according to a news release from ACF.

None of the recipients were in Virginia.

Additional information is available here.

Crystal Graham

Crystal Graham

Crystal Abbe Graham is the regional editor of Augusta Free Press. A 1999 graduate of Virginia Tech, she has worked for nearly 25 years as a reporter and editor for several Virginia publications, written a book, and garnered more than a dozen Virginia Press Association awards for writing and graphic design. She was the co-host of "Viewpoints," a weekly TV news show, and co-host of Virginia Tonight, a nightly TV news show. Her work on "Virginia Tonight" earned her a national Telly award for excellence in television.