NH Delegation Welcomes More Than $28M to Combat Opioid Crisis Through SOR Grant Funding

Press Release

Today, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) -- Chair of the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies (CJS) Appropriations Subcommittee -- and Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) -- member of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee -- alongside Representatives Annie Kuster (NH-02) and Chris Pappas (NH-01) welcomed $28,505,671 from the Substance Use and Mental Health Services Administration's State Opioid Response (SOR) grant program to help the Granite State respond to the opioid crisis.

This funding comes from the fiscal year (FY) 2022 government funding bill that was signed into law in March. Senator Shaheen successfully secured $1.5 billion in SOR grant funding across the nation, as well as the continuation of a 15 percent set-aside for hardest-hit states. This year, Shaheen and Hassan successfully pushed the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to maintain SOR funding levels for New Hampshire and avoid significant cliffs in funding year-over-year.

"New Hampshire families have been intimately and severely impacted by the substance use disorder crisis, which has gotten worse through the pandemic. For years, SOR grants have provided critical resources for New Hampshire to respond to this crisis and deliver treatments to Granite Staters in need. That's why every year, I fight tooth and nail to ensure our state gets its fair share of dollars -- that was especially true this year as I fought the threat of funding cliffs to New Hampshire," said Senator Shaheen. "I'm pleased the Biden administration heeded my calls to avoid dramatic funding cliffs, because these dollars are needed now more than ever. We must continue to use every tool at our disposal to reduce rates of substance use to help our communities become whole again."

"The substance misuse epidemic has ravaged families and communities across our state, and I have brought the heartbreaking stories of Granite Staters to Congress in order to secure resources to help turn the tide of this epidemic. The State Opioid Response grant program has helped to expand substance misuse prevention and treatment services in New Hampshire," said Senator Hassan. "I fought to avert a funding cliff that our state could have experienced, and I'm proud to announce that New Hampshire will continue to get robust funding through the State Opioid Response grant program. I will keep working to ensure that we stay laser-focused on getting Granite State communities the resources that we need to continue combating the substance misuse epidemic."

"New Hampshire is all too familiar with the devastating consequences of the substance misuse epidemic," said Representative Kuster, founder and co-chair of the Bipartisan Addiction and Mental Health Task Force. "That's why I have been working with local leaders and across the aisle in Congress to advance evidence-based policies and expand access to treatment and recovery services to ensure those struggling with addiction and mental health get the support they need. I'm encouraged to see New Hampshire continue to receive strong funding from the State Opioid Response (SOR) program and I will continue working to turn the tide on this epidemic."

"No New Hampshire family has been untouched by substance misuse and addiction. Despite the progress we have made, we must do more for those struggling to find help and support along the difficult road to recovery," said Representative Chris Pappas. "This vital funding will save lives and allow those suffering from addiction to get the help they need. I'll keep fighting to deliver critical funds and resources to our state to ensure first responders, health providers, and our loved ones have the tools they need to end the substance use disorder crisis."

Shaheen and Hassan have led efforts in Congress to combat the substance use disorder epidemic, both through Shaheen's leadership on the CJS appropriations subcommittee and Hassan's position on the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. Over the last five years, New Hampshire has received more than $140 million from SOR grants that Shaheen and Hassan have secured to combat the opioid epidemic in the state, with the hardest-hit state set-aside responsible for the majority of those funds. The FY2022 funding bill that Shaheen helped write continues to provide flexibility provisions that she authored to allow for SOR grant dollars to be used to support treatment and recovery for cocaine and methamphetamine use, in addition to opioid use. Shaheen and Hassan led efforts this year to prevent a steep cliff in SOR funding, securing a commitment to protect New Hampshire funding from Health and Human Services Secretary Becerra. Shaheen and Hassan's efforts have led to a more than tenfold increase in federal treatment and prevention funding for New Hampshire.

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