PUBLIC SAFETY ADVISORY

On September 18th, the U.S. Senate passed theSUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act of 2025 (H.R. 2483 by unanimous consent. This bipartisan legislation, led by sponsors Representatives Brett Guthrie (R-KY) and Brittany Pettersen (D-CO), continues funding for substance use disorder and overdose prevention services across the full continuum of care–prevention, treatment, and recovery through fiscal year 2030. The bill passed the House by a bipartisan vote of 366 to 57 in June 2025. The bill is now headed to the President’s desk for passage into law.

The legislation improves access to medications for addiction treatment (MAT), expands treatment services provided through Medicare and Medicaid, ends patient brokering, and enhances law enforcement efforts.

Senators Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Chair and Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, spoke on the passage of the legislation:

“The opioid and mental health crisis is tearing apart families,” said Dr. Cassidy. “The SUPPORT Act equips communities with vital tools to combat this scourge and save lives. I’m grateful to my colleagues for their work to pass this bill and look forward to it being signed into law.”

“This country is facing devastating substance abuse and mental health crises. It is absolutely unacceptable that more than 100,000 people in America died from overdoses last year – nearly 70% involving fentanyl and other deadly synthetic opioids. That is a national tragedy,” said Senator Sanders.>

The National Prescription Drug Take Back Day aims to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse of medications. Visit the US Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day webpage to access links to:

• Locate a Collection Site Near You

Search by zip code or city/state to find a collection site near you.

• Partnership Toolbox

Download posters, handouts and other materials to promote National Prescription Drug Take Back Day.

• Law Enforcement Agencies Only

For law enforcement agencies that wish to host a collection site, please call the POC in your area.

• Search for Year Round Pharmaceutical Disposal Locations

https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback/

  The overdose epidemic has taken a heartbreaking toll on our Nation, claiming the lives of far too many Americans and devastating families and communities across the country.  During Overdose Awareness Week, we renew our commitment to taking bold action to prevent overdoses and related deaths.  We continue our efforts to enhance prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery support services for individuals with substance use disorder and addiction.  We affirm our duty to stop the flow of illicit drugs from reaching our communities.

     As the overdose epidemic has evolved, synthetic opioids –particularly illicitly manufactured fentanyl — now drive the majority of overdose deaths.  In 2021, more than 100,000 people died from an overdose, an approximate 15 percent increase from the previous year.  Every loss is a painful reminder that, now more than ever, we must address our Nation’s overdose epidemic.

Read More

National Prevention Week (NPW) is a national public education platform bringing together communities and organizations to raise awareness about the importance of substance use prevention and positive mental health.

Each year, NPW includes daily themes to focus on major substance use and mental health topics. The 2022 daily themes are:

May 9: Strengthening Community Resilience: Substance Misuse and Overdose Prevention

May 10: Preventing Substance Use and Promoting Mental Health in Youth

May 11: Preventing Suicide: Everyone Plays a Role

May 12: The Talent Pipeline: Enhancing the Prevention Workforce

May 13: Prevention is Everywhere: Highlighting Efforts Across Settings and Communities

May 14: Celebrating Prevention Heroes

https://www.samhsa.gov/prevention-week

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) reports that the percentage of adolescents reporting substance use decreased significantly in 2021, according to the latest results from the Monitoring the Future survey of substance use behaviors and related attitudes among 8th, 10th, and 12th graders in the United States. In line with continued long-term declines in the use of many illicit substances among adolescents previously reported by the Monitoring the Future survey, these findings represent the largest one-year decrease in overall illicit drug use reported since the survey began in 1975.

Read More

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is now accepting applications for the first-ever SAMHSA Harm Reduction grant program and expects to issue $30 million in grant awards. This funding, authorized by the American Rescue Plan, will help increase access to a range of community harm reduction services and support harm reduction service providers as they work to help prevent overdose deaths and reduce health risks often associated with drug use. SAMHSA will accept applications from State, local, Tribal, and territorial governments, Tribal organizations, non-profit community-based organizations, and primary and behavioral health organizations.

OBHA Staff

May 16, 2019

Florida's One Behavioral Health Association applauds the efforts of First Lady Casey DeSantis to bring together multiple state agencies in order to better serve Floridians facing mental health and substance use disorders. During a press conference in Tampa, top leaders from the Florida Department of Children and Families, The Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, and the Florida Department of Education, united their agency resources to launch the Hope for Healing in Florida campaign.

“We really have to work together to solve this crisis – a crisis that claims 17 lives a day to opioid use in this state. A crisis that, according to the National Institute of Mental Health, has left nearly 50% of adolescents in this country with a mental illness during some point in their lives,” said First Lady Casey DeSantis.

The new initiative will create bold new steps to focus on awareness and prevention. A new website, http://hopeforhealingfl.com/ is underway. Mental health and substance abuse resource guides will be distributed in communities throughout the state with the support of business partnerships. Families are being encouraged to seek help early and efforts are being made to reduce any prejudice associated with seeking treatment for mental health and addiction.

“Florida’s One Behavioral Health Association is incredibly pleased the First Lady recognizes the importance of quality programs for mental health and addiction,” said Florida's One Behavioral Health Association President Melanie Brown-Woofter. “This initiative will allow more individuals to access needed resources throughout Florida. It creates a bridge between state, regional, and local communities for mental health and substance abuse services.” 

The Help for Healing website offers an online toolkit to help people facing a crisis and it presents treatment options ranging from locating treatment providers and call centers to reporting tools and downloadable applications.

“Innovation is essential in the behavioral health space,” said Brown-Woofter.  “Many of our community mental health and addiction treatment providers have formed unique local collaborations to serve individuals with mental health and substance use issues. We proudly stand with the First Lady to take this bold step."

Listen to the press conference here:

Read the Governor’s Office Press Release here:

Hike Your Mood with Sunlight

It stimulates the production of feel-good serotonin and also helps relieve seasonal affective disorder (SAD), which impacts millions of Americans every year, says Judith Orloff, MD, an assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of California, Los Angeles.

To ease SAD symptoms, spend time outdoors or near a window on sunny days, or ask your doc about phototherapy (a treatment using a box that emits full-spectrum light).

Take a Whiff of Citrus

Researchers studying depression have found that certain citrus fragrances boost feelings of well-being and alleviate stress by upping levels of norepinephrine, a hormone that affects mood.

For an all-day pick-me-up, dab a little lemon or orange essential oil on a handkerchief to tuck in your pocket.

Walk Away from Worries

"The rhythm and repetition of walking has a tranquilizing effect on your brain, and it decreases anxiety and improves sleep," says nutrition-and-wellness expert Ann Kulze, MD. Aim for a brisk, half-hour walk every day.

Do Less, Enjoy More

"We go overboard to please others during the holidays: shopping, cooking, sending cards, and attending every event," says George Pratt, PhD, a psychologist at Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla in California. "Instead, take care of yourself by saying no at least once—and maybe more."

Solicit Help the Smart Way

Ask individually instead of emailing groups of colleagues, relatives, or friends, says Noah Goldstein, PhD, an assistant professor of human resources and organizational behavior at the UCLA Anderson School of Management. In mass requests, recipients assume they don’t need to volunteer to help because someone else will do it.

Read 20 more ways to fight holiday stress

In Re: REEMPHASIS OF HEPATITIS A VACCINATION RECOMMENDATIONS AFTER SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE IN LOCALLY ACQUIRED INFECTIONS IN FLORIDA AND
OUTBREAK REPORTS ACROSS THE NATION

Pursuant to the authority granted in Section 381.00315, Florida Statutes, Celeste Philip, M.D., M.P.H., as State Surgeon General and State Health Officer, determines that a public health advisory is necessary to protect the public health and safety, and hereby issues the following Public Health Advisory.

Since January 2018, 385 cases of hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection have been reported in Florida. This is more than three times the previous five-year average of 126 cases. The increase in hepatitis A cases to date is predominantly in the Tampa Bay and Orlando metropolitan areas. Most of the cases do not involve international travel exposures. Although infections have occurred across all demographic groups, approximately 68% of the recent cases are among males. The median age of cases is 37 years and the highest rates of disease are among persons 30-49 years. Common risk factors include injection and non-injection drug use, homelessness, and men having sex with men (MSM).

Local and state health departments across the country have worked closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to respond to similar outbreaks since March 2017. This year, health departments in Arkansas, California, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, West Virginia and Utah, have investigated more than 8,000 outbreak associated cases of hepatitis A among persons who are homeless, persons who use drugs, men who have sex with men, and their close direct contacts.

HAV is transmitted person-to-person through fecal-oral route, which may include, but is not limited to, some types of sexual contact, and poor hand hygiene after going to the bathroom or changing diapers. HAV can also be spread through fecal-contaminated food or water. While most patients with HAV infections will fully recover, 77% of recent cases in Florida have required hospitalization.

The CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommends that the following persons be vaccinated against HAV:

• All children at age 1 year
• Persons who are at increased risk for infection
• Persons who are at increased risk for complications from HAV
• Users of injection and non-injection drugs
• Persons who are homeless
• Men who have sex with men
• Persons who have chronic liver disease
• Persons traveling to or working in countries that have high or intermediate endemicity of HAV
• Persons who have clotting-factor disorders
• Household members and other close personal contacts of adopted children newly arriving from countries with high or intermediate HAV endemicity
• Persons having direct contact with persons who have HAV.
Health care providers are also reminded to immediately report all cases of hepatitis A to your county health department to ensure a prompt public health response in order to prevent disease among close contacts.
The Department of Health will continue to work closely with community partners to raise awareness and promote vaccination by:
• Providing education to persons who report drug use, homelessness and/or MSM activity.
• Encouraging proper hand hygiene and offering HAV vaccination.

• Collaborating with community partners associated with Federally Qualified Health Centers, local jails, drug treatment centers, homeless shelters, hospitals, the Florida Department of Children and Families, and managing entities, among others, to increase vaccination access to their clients.

• Providing all high-risk clients who present to county health departments for various services (including HIV, STD, TB) with the opportunity to receive HAV vaccination.
• Encouraging support of the CDC recommendations for Syringe Services Programs (SSP) to reduce new HAV infections by offering HAV vaccination to all high-risk clients who seek health care services at the SSP.
• Enhancing HAV and HAV vaccine information resources on the Department of Health’s webpage and developing audience-specific educational materials for clients and the public.
• Providing regular updates and messaging to the medical community.
• Continuing to work closely with the CDC to ensure Florida has sufficient vaccine and other resources for an effective response.

Issued this 28th day of November 2018, in Department of Health offices, Tallahassee, Leon County, Florida.

Celeste Philip, MD, MPH
Surgeon General and Secretary

Department of Justice announces regulatory steps to address opioid epidemic

(WASHINGTON) – July 11, 2018 - The Department of Justice today announced the finalization of an April proposal to improve the Drug Enforcement Administration’s ability to control the diversion of dangerous drugs in the midst of the national opioid crisis. Announced in April by Attorney General Jeff Sessions, the final rule sent for publication today in the Federal Register establishes that DEA will take into consideration the extent that a drug is diverted for abuse when it sets its annual opioid production limits. 

If DEA believes that that a particular opioid or a particular company’s opioids are being diverted for misuse, this allows DEA to reduce the amount that can be produced in a given year. These revised limits will encourage vigilance on the part of opioid manufacturers, help DEA respond to the changing drug threat environment, and protect the American people from potentially addictive drugs while ensuring that the country has enough opioids for genuine medical, scientific, research and industrial needs.

"The opioid epidemic that we are facing today is the worst drug crisis in American history," Attorney General Sessions said. "To help end it, DEA must make sure that we prevent diversion and abuse of prescription opioids. Today's new rule, by taking diversion of these opioids into account, will allow the DEA to be more responsive to the facts on the ground. More importantly, it will help us stop and even prevent diversion from taking place. The American people can be confident that we are now better equipped to protect them from dangerous drugs and that this rule brings us one step closer to finally ending this unprecedented crisis."

“These common-sense actions directly respond to the national opioid epidemic by allowing DEA to use drug diversion as a basis to evaluate whether a drug’s production should be reduced,” said DEA Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon. “This also opens the door for increased communication and better information sharing between DEA and individual states, as we work together to address the opioid problem plaguing our country.” 

The final rule enhances the roles for the state attorneys general. It requires DEA to share notices of proposed aggregate production quotas, and final aggregate production quota orders, to the state attorneys general. It also allows for a hearing if necessary to resolve an issue of material fact raised by a state’s objection to a proposed aggregate production quota as excessive in relation to legitimate U.S. need.

DEA also announced that the final rule allows DEA to consider relevant information from the Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, as well as relevant information from the states.

Following April’s announcement of the proposed rule changes, DEA received more than 1,600 public comments in response.

NOTE: To view the advance text of the final rule as approved by the Acting Administrator and submitted for publication in the Federal Register click here.