More than 100 California organizations are getting new funding to reach people traditional treatment programs may miss
California – California is putting more of its overdose response directly into neighborhoods, schools and local support networks, betting that trusted community groups can reach people who may never walk into a traditional treatment center.
The state is partnering with 112 organizations and investing more than $21 million through the Department of Health Care Services’ Opioid and Stimulant Use Disorder Prevention and Education Program.
The goal is broad but practical: prevent drug use, reduce overdose risk and make it easier for Californians to enter treatment and recovery.
“California is acting with urgency to save lives and strengthen communities. By partnering with local organizations that people know and trust, we are expanding prevention, education, and pathways to treatment so more Californians can get help and heal. Every life saved matters, and we are all in on solutions that reduce overdoses and connect people to care,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said.
The scale of the crisis remains significant. Nearly one-third of U.S. adults know someone who died from a drug overdose, while nearly half have a close friend or family member who has struggled with drug addiction.
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California says its existing prevention and treatment efforts are already reaching large numbers of people. Between September 2024 and September 2025, 28,109 patients received opioid use disorder treatment, while 6,713 received treatment for stimulant use disorder. Another 24,274 people received recovery services such as housing, peer coaching, employment assistance and case management.
During the same period, 14,090 new patients began medications for opioid use disorder, and an estimated 164,349 people received prevention education, including 11,029 school-age youths.
The newly funded organizations will operate from September 1, 2026, through August 31, 2027. Their work will include outreach campaigns, naloxone distribution and training, community workshops, peer navigation, screenings and direct connections to treatment. Groups will also work with health providers, schools, tribes, faith organizations and overdose prevention programs.
Naloxone remains a central part of California’s strategy. Eligible organizations can receive free kits through the state’s Naloxone Distribution Project, which California says has helped reverse more than 460,000 overdoses. The state also offers lower-cost CalRx-branded over-the-counter naloxone.
The program is funded through a federal State Opioid Response grant administered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
Californians seeking help can call 1-800-944-1807 or text 1-833-308-0461 on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Additional prevention and treatment information is available at Opioids.CA.GOV.
