OSF Grant recipients announced by HHS

NORTH DAKOTA (KXNET) — The recipients of the North Dakota Opioid Settlement Fund (OSF) Grant awards have been announced.

According to the North Dakota Health and Human Services (HHS), the Behavioral Health Division says the grant awards will support the prevention, treatment, and recovery initiatives and the enhancement of the behavioral health workforce.

“Over the next 18 years, North Dakota will receive approximately $60 million in opioid settlement funds,” said North Dakota Lt. Gov. Tammy Miller. “The state has an opportunity to ensure we invest in long-lasting improvements that increase access to addiction services and prevent deaths.”

Throughout the 2023 legislative session, lawmakers approved North Dakota Century Code § 50-36, which created the Opioid Settlement Advisory Committee, along with allocating $8 million from the OSF to HHS for the 2023-2025 biennium.

At least 20% of those need to be used for opioid use prevention and overdose prevention.

“65 applications were received, requesting about $59 million,” said the HHS Behavioral Health Division Executive Director, Pamela Sagness. “We are grateful to see the dedication of so many organizations working to support behavioral health needs in the state.”

There were a total of 14 recipients, and those are:

1. Central Valley Health District to develop a Syringe Service Program in Jamestown to help people connect to recovery services and treatment.
2. Community Connect Providers to expand access to the community-based behavioral health program that’s designed to provide support services to people through care coordination and peer support.
3. Community Medical Services to support the Opioid Treatment Program in Grand Forks and connect people to evidence-based treatment services.
4. Endeavor Sober Living to establish a recovery house in Minot, specifically for pregnant and parenting women.
5. First District Health Unit to expand the Syringe Service Program in Minot to help people connect to treatment and recovery services.
6. Heartview Foundation to establish medications for services in the southwest part of the state.
7. Nelson-Griggs District Health Unit to implement a system to standardize screenings with hospitals to increase access to treatment and recovery services.
8. North Dakota State University Opioid and Naloxone Education (ONE) Program to work with tribal leaders to implement opioid harm prevention in tribal communities.
9. Northeast Central Judicial District Drug Court in Grand Forks/Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to provide treatment services and coordination of care for those involved in the Northeast Central Judicial District Drug Court in Grand Forks.
10. Richland County Treatment Court to provide treatment services and coordination of care for those involved in the Richland County Treatment Court.
11. Sanford Medical Center Fargo to provide medication for education and awareness training to providers, expand Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT), and increase distribution of naloxone to uninsured patients.
12. Training Academy of Addiction Professionals/Heartview Foundation to support the development of the behavioral health workforce with increased counselor training opportunities, college scholarships, and paid internships.
13. USpireND – Healthy Families North Dakota to provide home visiting programs for parents who are incarcerated and pregnant, parents who are incarcerated and have given birth (within the last year), parents in recovery, and parents who have not yet entered recovery.
14. Valley City Public School to implement an evidence-based prevention curriculum in the Valley City Junior/Senior High School.

The OSF Grant is funded by participating in the national opioid settlement with manufacturers and distributors. A requirement is the establishment of an advisory committee and using the funds in a way that aligns with Exhibit E of the documents.

The awarded grant funds must be spent before June 30, 2025.