Second Phase of FY 2020 Drug-Free Communities Support Program Funding Announced

Key Takeaways

On October 30, the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) announced the second phase of FY 2020 grants for the Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Support Program. The DFC Support Program is an important resource for counties as it provides direct funding to jurisdictional coalitions working to prevent and address substance use disorders in their communities. This second phase of grant funding provides roughly $24 million in continued funding for 192 current DFC Support Program grant recipients, and follows the initial award announcement in September, which provided $42.5 million for 340 continuation grants. ONDCP plans to award more than 700 grants in FY 2020 and expects to announce a final round of DFC Support Program funding in the next 6 weeks. To view the October cycle recipients, click here and to view the September cycle recipients, click here.

Established by the Drug-Free Communities Act of 1997 and jointly run by ONDCP and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the DFC Support program aims to bolster collaboration among communities to prevent and reduce substance use disorders, with a particular focus on youth substance use. The program provides grants to coalitions that must be comprised of community leaders from twelve sectors including state, local and tribal governments, among others. Coalitions are charged with creating and executing a 12-month action plan that promotes community-based change, as opposed to focusing on individual interventions. Grant recipients are awarded up to $125,000 annually for up to 5 years per award, with a maximum of 10 years of award funding.

Counties invest approximately $83 billion annually in community health systems that include behavioral health services and play a critical role preventing and addressing substance use issues in local communities. With its emphasis on community-based approaches and diverse stakeholder coalitions, the DFC Support Program provides the necessary federal support for, and empowers local leaders to design and implement tailored strategies that address substance use disorders and are best suited for their communities.

NACo will continue to advocate for funding for the DFC Support Program and other federal programs that provide counties with the resources and funding they need to address substance use disorders and other behavioral health issues.

Additional Resources

• NACo Brief: Addressing Substance Use at the County Level
• NACo Policy Brief: Enhance Counties' Ability to Prevent and Treat Mental Illness and Substance Abuse Disorders
• The Substance Abuse Crisis: Counties Reach for Solutions