State Targeted Response to the Opioid Crisis grants

STR overview (PDF)
STR grant fact sheet (PDF)

In 2017, the Minnesota Department of Human Services awarded grants to 40 state agencies, Tribes and counties from the federal State Targeted Response (STR) to the Opioid crisis grant.

STR grants focused on:

Supporting communities most impacted in order to offer effective, culturally relevant services
Building on existing, proven efforts
Offering new and innovative approaches.

Background

In Minnesota, like the rest of the nation, is facing an opioid crisis. Misuse of prescription painkiller, illicit use of opioids such as heroin, and powerful synthetic drugs such as Fentanyl has led to individuals and families suffering, communities harmed and overdose deaths skyrocketing.

To address the opioid crisis currently affecting all communities and all corners of the state, Minnesota needs a wide-range of community-based solutions tackling opioids from prevention to treatment to recovery, from streamlining services to supporting existing programs to creating new and innovative approaches.
The federal grant

In the summer of 2017, Minnesota received a two-year, $10.6 Million State Targeted Response to the Opioid Crisis grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Part of the 21st Century Cures Act, the Opioid STR grant program worked to expand access to evidence-based prevention, treatment, and recovery support services, reduce unmet treatment needs, and help to prevent opioid overdose deaths. The grant was for two years, ending April 30, 2019.
DHS Grants to Minnesota providers
STR project descriptions (PDF)
Grants by category (PDF)

The State used the STR funds to issue grants to tribes, counties and community agencies. Grants were aimed at addressing the opioid crisis through prevention, increasing access to treatment and reducing opioid overdose related deaths. Grant awards were based on unmet need for opioid use disorder treatment and drug poisoning deaths.

The grants supplemented ongoing proven effective substance use disorder services, as well as offer new and innovative approaches. Grant activities included:
- Expanding access to naloxone—a drug that serves as an immediate life-saving antidote to opioid overdose—for opioid treatment programs and emergency medical service teams.
- Expanding medication assisted treatment, in both the number of providers and their geographic reach. Medication-assisted treatment combines behavioral therapy and medications to treat substance use disorders.
- Making it easier and faster for people to receive a substance use disorder for treatment services.
- Increasing opioid-specific peer recovery and care coordination.
- Piloting Parent Child Assistance Program, a peer support program for pre- and post-natal mothers.
- Launching “Fast-Tracker,” a website showing real-time treatment bed availability.