Statewide opioid grants now available

DES MOINES—Governor Kim Reynolds today announced that Iowa’s opioid treatment and recovery providers can begin applying for $13 million in grants to expand or improve facilities or develop sober-living housing options in a statewide effort to better serve Iowans impacted by the ongoing opioid epidemic. 
The governor announced the funding opportunities in May as part of a larger $17.5 million investment to help providers address increased demand for opioid-related services and meet the additional needs of Iowans.  
“The battle against substance use disorder is all too familiar for families struggling through the opioid epidemic,” stated Governor Reynolds. “This funding for projects that support prevention, treatment and recovery can provide addicted Iowans a pathway to sobriety and a productive, fulfilling life.” 
The $10 million Iowa Opioid Treatment and Recovery Infrastructure Grant will assist opioid treatment and recovery providers with physical infrastructure and capacity building. Grants can be used for new construction and expansion of current treatment and recovery facilities, as well as the rehabilitation of existing structures. 
The application period for the Iowa Opioid Treatment and Recovery Infrastructure Grant is open now through September 30, 2024. More information about the program, including how to apply, is available at iowaeda.com/recovery-and-treatment-grant. 
The Iowa Recovery Housing Fund includes a total of $3 million to provide grant funding to eligible nonprofit organizations for the development of sober recovery housing. The goal is to increase long-term housing security for persons in recovery from substance use disorder as well as survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking. 
The Iowa Recovery Housing Fund application period opens July 29 and will remain open through October 31, 2024. More information about the program, including eligibility requirements, is available at iowafinance.com/irhf. 
The grants leverage federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds and will be administered by the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA), the Iowa Finance Authority (IFA), and the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services. 
An additional $1.5 million will be used for programs that focus on opioid addiction prevention. Over the last several years in Iowa and nationwide, there has been a dramatic increase in the prescription rate of opioids for surgery patients as part of their post-operative pain management plan. Addiction can be an unintended consequence of patient overuse and misuse. 
Iowa HHS will launch a $1 million education initiative for Iowa health care providers, with a focus on surgeons, to support alternative post-op pain management plans that are less reliant on prescribing opioids. Over-the-counter pain medications coupled with additional non-opioid pain management methods can be as effective and avoids the risk of introducing opioids. The goal of the project is to reduce the number of opioid prescriptions for surgery recovery and increase access to an opioid-minimizing approach to surgery and recovery. A request for proposal (RFP) will be issued by HHS on August 1, 2024, and the program will begin later this year. 
Additionally, Iowa HHS will utilize $500,000 in ARPA funding to launch a comprehensive multi-media opioid overdose prevention campaign this fall. The campaign will leverage new and existing ads and public service announcements, and may include radio, newspaper, and bus ads; billboards; digital banners and social media; and community engagement and toolkits, with messaging focusing on the dangers of purchasing fake pills and the risks of fentanyl. 
The remaining $3 million of the state’s investment in opioid prevention, treatment and recovery, will support the completion of the YSS Ember Recovery Campus in Cambridge, a residential addiction treatment center for teens age 12 to 18. The facility is scheduled to open later this year.