New funding opportunities for states, cities, and territories to strengthen overdose surveillance and prevention efforts

The CDC is announced two new Notices of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs) last week under its Overdose Data to Action (OD2A) program to advance the critical work that health departments and communities play in driving down overdose deaths. One NOFO is designed for states and one for localities and territories, according to a press release from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

“These NOFOs will expand and strengthen current overdose surveillance and prevention efforts and emphasize the use of data to inform prevention action and partnership engagement, and address health equity,” according to the release.

“Nearly 300 people are dying every day from drug overdoses,” said Christopher M. Jones, PharmD, DrPH, MPH (CAPT U.S. Public Health Service), Director of CDC’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. “We must ensure broad resources and support are in place at all levels of government to save lives today and in the future.

“This funding is critical to support innovation, expand harm reduction strategies and link people to life-saving care, and make the latest data available so that we can get ahead of the constantly evolving epidemic, including changes in the illicit drug supply that make today’s crisis more deadly than ever,” Jones said in the release.

The new NOFOs, which help to advance the HHS Overdose Prevention Strategy, focus on the implementation of evidence-based interventions that correspond with recent shifts in the drug overdose crisis, including changes in the illicit drug supply, the continued threat from illicit fentanyl and other synthetic opioids, and a rise in stimulant and polysubstance use, the release reads.

“Surveillance strategies will enhance and expand the ability of health departments to track fatal and non-fatal overdoses and identify emerging drug threats,” the release reads. “The funded jurisdictions will use these data to continuously improve prevention activities and refine the understanding of what works to prevent overdoses and deaths in different groups of people, particularly those hit hardest by the epidemic.”

“CDC remains committed to addressing health disparities and inequities in overdose,” said Grant Baldwin, PhD, MPH, Director of CDC’s Division of Overdose Prevention. “These funding opportunities focus on people disproportionately affected by overdose and underserved by treatment and harm reduction services – including some racial/ ethnic groups, people experiencing incarceration or recent release from incarceration, and people experiencing homelessness.”

Currently, CDC funds 47 states and Washington, D.C., 2 territories, and 16 large city and county health departments through OD2A.

In 2023, CDC will build on this essential program, leveraging the latest epidemiology, prevention research, and lessons learned from the prior OD2A cycle.

For more information about these funding opportunities, visit cdc.gov/drugoverdose/od2a/funding-announcements.html and Grants. gov before the May 8,

application deadline.

To learn more about Overdose Data to Action, visit: cdc.gov/drugoverdose/od2a/index.html

To learn more about drug overdose, visit cdc. gov/drugoverdose/index.html.