State Targeted Response to the Opioid Crisis grants

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.

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.