(July 17, 2026) – The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration provides funding to expand the use of non-opioid pain management protocols for patients presenting with pain in emergency care settings. The purpose of this program is to establish and implement practices that help emergency departments develop alternatives to pharmacological opioid interventions and reduce the potentially harmful consequences of opioid use in pain care across hospitals and emergency departments.
Eligibility is statutorily limited to hospitals and emergency departments, including freestanding emergency departments and rural emergency hospitals.
Rural Emergency Hospitals are listed as eligible applicants. SAMHSA anticipates 12 awards of up to $500,000 each. The project is a three-year project. Applications are due July 27.
--Karen Braman