ND receives $4 million annually for state opioid response efforts

North Dakota Health and Human Services (HHS) has been awarded $4 million annually for the next three years through the State Opioid Response (SOR) grant, administered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The funding will support opioid use disorder treatment and overdose prevention across the state through Sept. 29, 2027.

Since 2017, the Behavioral Health Division has utilized federal opioid funding to implement similar initiatives, ensuring ongoing support for critical opioid-related services in North Dakota communities.

HHS will administer this recently awarded SOR grant through continued key partnerships and initiatives aimed at prevention, harm reduction, treatment and recovery including:

• Local public health units: Twenty-seven of North Dakota's local public health units will implement a range of opioid response activities across the continuum of care.
• Tribal partnerships: Three of North Dakota's federally recognized tribes will implement similar activities to address opioid use disorder and improve community outcomes.
• North Dakota State University School of Pharmacy: Through the Opioid and Naloxone Education (ONE) Program, pharmacies across the state will implement opioid risk screenings. In addition, North Dakota colleges will offer opioid overdose prevention and naloxone education for students.
• North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (DOCR): Individuals incarcerated in state prisons will receive treatment for opioid use disorder, as well as connections to community resources to support recovery and successful reentry after release.

"The continuation of this funding is critical in our efforts to prevent opioid misuse, provide life-saving treatments and support long-term recovery," said HHS Behavioral Health Division Opioid Addiction Administrator Amy Lies. "By working closely with local public health units, tribes, educational institutions, and DOCR, we are reaching North Dakotans where they are, ensuring resources and care are accessible to those who need them most."

Additionally, the division will use the SOR funding to continue providing naloxone at no cost to individuals across the state. For more information on North Dakota's opioid response initiatives or to access resources, such as free naloxone, visit hhs.nd.gov/opioids.