Funding: Pain Management and Opioid Prescribing

Offers grants to rural or rural-serving organizations to evaluate, develop, and expand technology-enabled collaborative learning and capacity building models, with the goal of improving workforce retention and increasing access to healthcare, especially specialty care, in rural, frontier, and tribal areas and other underserved communities. Aims to support healthcare providers through distance health education models focused on chronic diseases, infectious diseases, mental health, substance use disorders (SUDs), prenatal and maternal health, pediatric care, pain management, palliative care, and other specialty care.

Supports state, local, and tribal efforts to plan, implement, and enhance prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) in order to prevent the misuse of prescription drugs, such as opioids. Strengthens the ability of law enforcement and public health agencies to collect and analyze controlled substance prescription data and to track prescribing across providers and states by integrating PDMPs with electronic health records (EHRs), pharmacy dispensing software (PDS) systems, health information exchanges (HIEs), and other healthcare facilities and systems. Promotes the development of innovative, evidence-based PDMP strategies that can serve as models for other states.

Offers formula grants to states to help develop and expand prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery activities for opioid use disorder (OUD) and stimulant use. Seeks to improve the accessibility and effectiveness of treatment and services for individuals with OUD, including access to Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved medications for the treatment of OUD.

Provides funding to enhance the ability of state health departments to track and prevent nonfatal and fatal overdoses and identify emerging drug threats by supporting surveillance and prevention strategies designed to reduce overdose morbidity and mortality. Emphasizes activities focused on opioid, stimulants, and polysubstance use and works to address health inequities and increase access to care and services for populations at high-risk for overdose, including rural communities and tribal populations.

Provides funding for local health departments, special district health departments, and territorial governments to implement data-based surveillance and prevention strategies to reduce overdose morbidity and mortality in communities. Emphasized activities focused on opioids and stimulants. Seeks to address health inequities and increase access to care for populations at high-risk for overdose, including rural communities and tribal populations.

Offers funding, based on a formula, to eligible institutions that then distribute funds to full-time nurse anesthetist trainees to help cover required education costs and living expenses. Seeks to increase the number of certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) practicing in rural, urban, and tribal underserved areas.

Funds for states to develop and implement programs to address the oral health workforce needs in Dental Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs), including those in rural communities. Supports new ideas, methods, and/or approaches to increase access to oral health services. Allows states to design programs to address opioid use disorder (OUD) by improving pain management practices, treatments, and recovery support services. Helps states become better prepared for future public health emergencies by evaluating and responding to the impact of COVID-19 on oral health workforce.

Provides funding to enhance established community-based coalitions working to address the use and misuse of opioids, methamphetamines, and prescription medications among youth ages 12-18. Strengthens cooperation between leaders, groups, organizations, and agencies across the community to implement strategies and services that help identify at-risk youth, reduce substance use, and create safer and healthier communities.