Sign On to the National Letter Urging Congress to Continue FY2027 Labor-HHS Funding for Key Addiction Programs that Span the Continuum of Care
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The Addiction Policy Forum invites national, state, and local organizations to sign on to a letter expressing support for continued funding for substance use disorder (SUD) programs in the FY2027 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS) appropriations bill.
The national sign-on letter calls on Congress to maintain funding for key federal agencies and programs that address addiction across the continuum of care. Ongoing support is essential to strengthening prevention efforts, expanding access to treatment, and supporting long-term recovery through proven, evidence-based approaches. Federal funding for such SUD programs has played a critical role in overdose deaths plummeting 24 percent from 2023 to 2024.[1]
We invite all local, state, and national organizations to show their support by signing on to our national letter that reiterates the importance of funding SUD programs. The deadline to sign the letter is 11:59 p.m. on Friday, April 3rd.
Key SUD-related agencies and programs funded through Labor-HHS include:
The National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) research on SUD drives groundbreaking discoveries that advance the development and adoption of effective prevention, treatment, and recovery practices for both SUD and mental health conditions. Within NIH, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), and the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) lead critical research efforts that generate the scientific evidence needed to ensure that treatments, services, and resources effectively prevent and treat SUDs and empower people in recovery.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) leads national public health and service delivery efforts to address behavioral health conditions—particularly serious mental health disorders—while working to prevent SUD and expand access to effective treatment and recovery supports. Its programs are designed to improve outcomes and ensure that individuals and communities can access the care they need.
Among these efforts, SAMHSA’s Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) grant program plays a key role in preventing the onset of SUD by promoting early identification and intervention. In addition, initiatives such as Opioid Treatment Programs (OTPs), the State Opioid Response (SOR) program, the Substance Use Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Services Block Grant (SUBG), and the Community Mental Health Services Block Grant equip providers and communities with comprehensive resources to address SUD. These include access to FDA-approved medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), naloxone for overdose reversal, and a range of recovery supports.
SAMHSA also supports first responders through programs authorized under the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA), including the First Responder Training (Overdose Reversal Program) and the Improving Access to Overdose Treatment program, which expand training and access to life-saving overdose reversal tools and help reduce overdose fatalities.
SAMHSA’s Criminal Justice Activities programs, including Drug Courts, enhance public safety and improve behavioral health outcomes by providing services that address substance use and mental health disorders. These programs reduce recidivism and promote rehabilitation, offering a more effective alternative to approaches that rely solely on punitive measures.
[1] Saunders, H., Panchal, N., & Rudowitz, R. (2026, February 24). Opioid overdose deaths: National trends and variation by demographics and states. KFF. https://www.kff.org/mental-health/opioid-overdose-deaths-national-trends-and-variation-by-demographics-and-states/
