NOI_W27021.docx

Massachusetts Department of Public Health Bureau of Substance Addiction Services (BSAS) Notice of Intent W27021 FY 2026 First Responders - Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (FR-CARA)

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH), Bureau of Substance Addiction Services (BSAS), intends to apply for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) FY 2026 First Responders - Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (FR-CARA) (TI-26-006) Notice of Funding Opportunity. SAMHSA anticipates awarding 44-118 state and local awardees that strengthen comprehensive, community-based overdose prevention and response systems.

The purpose of the FR-CARA program is to reduce opioid overdose deaths by expanding evidence-based overdose prevention, increasing access to medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), strengthening first responder capacity, and improving linkages to treatment and recovery. The program emphasizes partnerships among first responders, healthcare providers, public health agencies, peer recovery organizations, and trusted community-based organizations to ensure individuals who experience an overdose receive timely engagement and ongoing support.

Grant funding would enable MDPH-BSAS to expand and strengthen statewide post-overdose response efforts by supporting coordinated partnerships among first responder agencies and community-based organizations. The proposed project will increase access to naloxone, field-initiated buprenorphine where appropriate, rapid referral pathways, and ongoing treatment and recovery supports for individuals at high risk of overdose.

The grant requirements include:

· Strengthening first responder capacity to respond to opioid overdoses using evidence-based practices.

· Expanding community-based overdose prevention and post-overdose engagement through trusted community anchor organizations.

· Increasing access to medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), including buprenorphine and methadone, through rapid referral and care coordination.

· Enhancing partnerships among first responders, healthcare providers, and recovery support providers.

· Collecting performance data and evaluating program outcomes to improve overdose response and treatment engagement.

The purpose of this notice is to publicize MDPH-BSAS's intent to submit a federal grant application naming both Seven Hills Behavioral Health and the Lowell Health Department as project partners. MDPH-BSAS intends to contract with these organizations because each provides distinct expertise and infrastructure necessary to successfully implement the proposed FR-CARA project. Together, the organizations will strengthen local overdose response through coordinated partnerships among first responders, public health, treatment providers, and recovery support services.

Seven Hills Behavioral Health has extensive experience providing community-based outreach, peer recovery support, case management, and overdose prevention services. As the project's community anchor, the organization will conduct post-overdose outreach, facilitate warm handoff referrals to treatment and recovery services, implement evidence-based engagement practices, provide peer recovery support and case management for individuals at risk of or who have previously experienced an overdose, establish protocols to improve coordination across service providers, and collect and report program performance data.

Additionally, Seven Hills has an extensive history of work with BSAS on Post Overdose Support Team (POST). Additionally, Seven Hills is one of the original vendors to develop, implement, and support the enhancement described in the grant application. Seven Hills has established partnerships with both faith-based organizations and the fishing industry in communities with disproportionately high rates of fatal and non-fatal overdose, which are key elements of the funding opportunity to specifically work as a community anchor site to bring overdose education and post-overdose follow-up services to non-traditional partners.

The Lowell Health Department’s Lowell Community Opioid Outreach Program (CO-OP) serves as the local public health authority and has longstanding partnerships with emergency medical services, public safety agencies, healthcare providers, and community organizations. As the project's public health and first responder partner, the Lowell Health Department will coordinate post-overdose response activities, establish and strengthen protocols for warm handoffs to treatment and recovery services, provide peer support and case management, collect and submit required performance data, and, in partnership with local EMS, support the implementation of short-term field initiation of buprenorphine and rapid linkage to ongoing medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) and treatment services.

BSAS currently works with the Lowell CO-OP team via our contract with Riverbend, so there is strong existing record of performance on federal grants. Since Lowell Health Department holds the contract with Pridestar ambulance, and there is the grant required activity of partnership with an ambulance company to conduct pre-hospital buprenorphine administration, BSAS is naming Lowell Health Department as the formal grant partner. Additionally, Lowell Health Dept currently administers funding to support the entire Lowell CO-OP team. Lowell Health Dept / Lowell CO-OP is currently funded by an FR-CARA. They are familiar and experienced with FR-CARA grant terms and expectations. Their need for funding marries with BSAS’ goals to find a funding partnership to sustain the first responder supported work. This partnership is a fit for the NOFO and is aligned with DPH goals to expand access to MOUD in order to promote healthy long lives.

Together, these partners bring complementary expertise that aligns with the goals of the FR-CARA program by strengthening first responder capacity, improving post-overdose engagement, expanding access to evidence-based treatment and recovery services, and enhancing coordination across the continuum of care.

If you have equal qualifications to the organization mentioned above and would like to be considered for partnership on this grant, send qualifications along with any questions or comments with the subject line: MA FR-CARA – W27021 in writing to Ryan H. Naismith at ryan.h.naismith@mass.gov by August 7th, 2026 at 4pm.