Health and Human Services (HHS) announced Tuesday. The supplemental awards total $1.5 million and are part of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) Strategic Prevention Framework-Partnerships for Success grants.
For families in the three states, the money is aimed at preventing problems before they start. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said faith leaders are well positioned to reach young people, and Alabama will use part of its award to extend the work of its certified Faith-Based Support Specialists to youth ages 12 to 17. Parents may first see new programs through congregations, youth groups, or community events rather than clinics.
The awards come as national overdose deaths continue to decline. In an overdose data release on Aug. 31, the CDC said provisional data predicted 67,798 drug overdose deaths in the 12 months ending in March 2026, a 12.3% decrease from the same period a year earlier.
Where the $1.5 Million Is Headed
In Kansas and West Virginia, the states will use the money to build new partnerships with faith communities, conduct needs assessments, and develop prevention strategic plans with faith leaders while involving young people from the start, according to HHS. Alabama will fund regional needs assessments to explore how faith-based prevention shapes youth attitudes and to identify where more resources are needed.
The Partnerships for Success program, according to SAMHSA, is intended to help reduce the onset and progression of substance misuse by supporting state and community prevention efforts. The new announcement did not specify which substances the faith-based work will target.
Kennedy framed the awards around children. "Every child deserves the chance to grow up free from addiction," he said in the release. HHS tied the funding to the administration's Great American Recovery initiative, which Kennedy co-chairs with Kathryn Burgum, the White House senior adviser for addiction recovery.
Overdose Trends Behind the Three-State Awards
The three states start from different places. A KFF analysis of final 2024 CDC data, reported by Becker's, put West Virginia's opioid overdose death rate at 38.6 per 100,000 people, the highest of any state. The rate was 17.3 in Alabama, 12.5 in Kansas, and 16 nationally. By that measure, Alabama was slightly above the national rate, Kansas was below it, and West Virginia remained far above it.
Broader drug overdose data show a similar pattern. West Virginia had the highest age-adjusted drug overdose death rate of any state in 2023, at 81.9 deaths per 100,000 people, compared with 31.3 nationally, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. That year, the rate was 33.9 in Alabama and 22.8 in Kansas.
Newer trends are available through the CDC's provisional overdose dashboard, which was updated Sept. 16 using records available as of Sept. 6. Those figures are provisional and can undercount recent deaths, so recent changes should be read cautiously.
Federal officials say the national decline is not guaranteed to last. Grant Baldwin, who directs the CDC's Division of Overdose Prevention, said in the agency's release that "progress is not a finish line."
Details the Announcement Leaves Open
The release does not name the faith organizations that will take part, explain how youth will be recruited, or say how programs will serve families of other faiths or no faith. It also does not describe what outcomes the states will measure or how long they have to spend the money. Clear public reporting on those points would help residents judge whether the funding reaches the communities with the greatest need.
MedicalDaily Evidence Check: The announcement did not cite outcome data showing that faith-based youth prevention reduces later drug use or overdose deaths. That does not mean the approach fails; it means evidence for this specific model was not presented. With $1.5 million spread across three states, reach will depend on how the funds are targeted, and measurable results may take years.
Teens ages 12 to 17 are the clearest audience in Alabama, while Kansas and West Virginia said young people would help shape plans from the beginning. Families already connected to congregations in the three states may be the first to see new programming.
Protecting Teens While Prevention Plans Take Shape
Families do not need to wait for new programs to act. Warning signs of an opioid overdose include pinpoint pupils, slow or stopped breathing, unresponsiveness, and blue or gray lips or fingernails. Anyone who sees those signs should call 911, give naloxone if it is available, and stay with the person.
Naloxone is sold over the counter, and many state and local programs distribute it at no cost. Parents can talk with teens about counterfeit pills, which may contain fentanyl, and ask a pediatrician about substance use screening during routine checkups. Many states have Good Samaritan laws that offer some legal protection to people who call for help during an overdose, though the details vary by state.
People who are struggling can call or text 988 or search FindTreatment.gov for nearby providers. SAMHSA's National Helpline, 1-800-662-4357, offers free, confidential treatment referrals around the clock.
The three states now move into needs assessments and planning, and the CDC updates its provisional overdose counts monthly. The awards are modest in size, and their impact is not yet measurable. For now, the most reliable protections remain proven steps: open conversations with teens, naloxone on hand, and prompt treatment referrals when substance use begins.
Key Questions Answered
What did HHS announce? HHS, through SAMHSA, awarded $500,000 in supplemental funding each to Alabama, Kansas, and West Virginia. The money supports faith-based substance use prevention under existing Partnerships for Success grants.
How will the states use the money? Kansas and West Virginia will build faith partnerships, conduct needs assessments, and develop prevention plans with faith leaders. Alabama will conduct regional needs assessments and extend its Faith-Based Support Specialists to youth ages 12 to 17.
Are overdose deaths still falling? Nationally, yes. In its Aug. 31 release, the CDC said provisional data predicted 67,798 overdose deaths in the 12 months ending in March 2026, down 12.3% from a year earlier.
Is there evidence that faith-based prevention works? The HHS announcement did not cite outcome data for this model, and the states have not yet published evaluation plans.
What are the signs of an opioid overdose? Signs include pinpoint pupils, slow or stopped breathing, unresponsiveness, and blue or gray lips or fingernails. Call 911 and give naloxone if it is available.
Where can families get help? Call or text 988, visit FindTreatment.gov, or call SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 for free, confidential referrals.
