Building Capacity Through Community Behavioral Health Organizations to Prevent Overdose

Unprecedented rates of overdose deaths call for innovative programs that expand access to and engagement in overdose prevention and treatment services.

In March 2023, the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, with support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), launched Building Capacity Through Community Behavioral Health Organizations. This initiative provided up to $100,000 each in grant funding to 25 community-based health organizations (CBHOs) to support their overdose prevention efforts. The organizations came from all over the U.S. The project was funded for a second year, with an additional $100,000 each in grant funding for 23 CBHOs.

The initiative goes beyond funding. The National Council also provides the funded CBHOs with training and technical assistance to enhance and expand critical services that reduce the risk of overdose. These efforts will increase engagement in innovative, evidence-based harm reduction programs, create links to behavioral and physical health care, and strengthen peer recovery support services nationwide.

Discover the impact of this initiative and how these CBHOs are making a difference in their communities, using this grant to help save lives.

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This project was supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $3,000,000 with 100% funded by CDC/HHS. The content is that of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of, or an endorsement by, CDC/HHS or the U.S. Government.