HARRISBURG, Pa. — Governor Tom Wolf announced on Thursday his administration is awarding $3.4 million in federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) grants for support services of pregnant and postpartum women with opioid use disorder (OUD).

The grants are part of the $55.9 million SAMSHA grant secured by the Wolf Administration and administered through the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs to bolster the state’s response to the prescription opioid and heroin epidemic.

“Pennsylvania continues its leadership role in the national, statewide and local fight against the scourge of opioids with a focus on all those affected by this crisis,” Gov. Wolf said. “These grants will go a long way to create or expand programs to help vulnerable pregnant and postpartum women get the services they need to treat opioid use disorder and start a healthy life for them and their newborns.”

The funding will be directed to nine providers through grant agreements up to $400,000. Awardees are a combination of providers expanding existing services and developing new programs with the funding. Services may include assisting individuals as they become and remain engaged in evidence-based treatment programs, providing postpartum physical and mental health care, child care during periods when the mother is engaged in treatment, and parenting-, nutritional-, and employment-readiness education.

“While we have made strides against the opioid crisis there are still far too many Pennsylvanians suffering from OUD,” said DDAP Secretary Jen Smith. “In order to make effective change, we must continue to provide innovative services to those in need. With the unprecedented amount of federal funding flooding Pennsylvania, we are committed to creating services and supports that wouldn’t be available otherwise, while focusing on building a drug and alcohol treatment system that can adequately address all Pennsylvanians, including priority populations like pregnant women.”

In July, Gov. Wolf signed an executive order strengthening protections for vulnerable populations, such as pregnant women suffering from OUD. As part of this effort, the administration is committed to support innovation in service delivery and strengthening quality services. Supporting providers that offer innovative, critical services to pregnant women and postpartum women with OUD represent the administration’s continued commitment to providing services and supports that meet Pennsylvanians’ individual needs and help them on a path to happy, healthy lives.

“As public servants, we have an obligation to help all individuals but especially vulnerable populations that greatly influence the future of Pennsylvania, like our children,” Gov. Wolf said. “I look forward to the innovative services this funding will support and its positive effects on the health and safety of our youngest Pennsylvanians.”

For more information about the work the Wolf Administration is doing to combat the opioid crisis, visit pa.gov/opioids.