Pennsylvania State Laws, Policies and Funding
RH terminology used by the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP)
Recovery House
https://www.ddap.pa.gov/Licensing/Pages/Licensing.aspx
Accreditation, Certification, and State Licensing Requirement: Licensure or certification is required for state funding, referrals, and to be listed on the state registry.
RH Law(s): Act No. 35 (2021) An Act amending the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.177, No.175), known as The Administrative Code of 1929, in powers and duties of the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, providing for notification of emergency contact.
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2021&sInd=0&body=H&type=B&bn=741
Act 59 In 2017, Governor Wolf signed Senate Bill 446 into law as Act 59, which gave DDAP the power and duty to license drug and alcohol recovery houses that receive referrals from state agencies or state-funded facilities or receive federal or state funding. The department shall create and maintain a registry on its publicly accessible Internet website of all licensed or certified drug and alcohol recovery houses within this Commonwealth, which shall be updated annually by the department.
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/li/uconsCheck.cfm?yr=2017&sessInd=0&act=59
Legislation: None/unknown
Regulations: Chapter 717 –Standards for Drug and Alcohol Recovery House Licensure
http://www.pacodeandbulletin.gov/Display/pabull?file=/secure/pabulletin/data/vol51/51-50/2058.html
SABG Program: The “Planned Priority Areas” documents for your state’s Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant (SABG) program and Community Mental Health Services Block Grant (MHBG) program do not specifically mention recovery housing as a priority, nor do they list recovery support services as an allowable activity. To learn more about specific recovery housing activities that are eligible for funding through these grant programs, please reach out to your state’s Single State Agency (SSA) that is responsible for administering these funds by visiting https://www.ddap.pa.gov/pages/default.aspx
According to WebBGAS, this state has indicated that it has established a revolving loan fund using SABG funds to develop RH for individuals in recovery.
SOR Program: Your state’s Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) has previously funded recovery activities using State Opioid Response (SOR) funds. To learn more about specific recovery housing activities that are eligible for funding through this grant program, please reach out to your state’s Single State Agency (SSA) that’s responsible for administering these funds by visiting https://www.ddap.pa.gov/pages/default.aspx
Medicaid Funding: Nothing in the state Medicaid plan suggests direct support for RH, however, certain covered activities could evolve to be provided in RH settings to include counseling, case management, and peer support.
https://www.dhs.pa.gov/providers/PROMISe_Guides/Pages/PROMISe-Handbooks.aspx
NARR Affiliate Status: Yes, the Philadelphia Alliance of Recovery Residence (PARR)
Housing Assistance Funding: https://www.phfa.org/
Directory/Registry:
https://www.parronline.org/residence-directory#/
Pennsylvania Funders
Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation
The Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation is based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and was formed in 1944. The Foundation was established by Michael and Sarah Benedum with wealth that Michael Benedum accumulated through his career in the oil and gas business.
Regions:
The Benedum Foundation serves Southwestern Pennsylvania and West Virginia, with a specific focus on serving rural communities.
Issues Supported: The Benedum Foundation funds projects that support community development, economic development, education, health, and human services.
Grant Process and Application: The Benedum Foundation does not have application deadlines, and applications can be submitted throughout the year. Find out more information about the grant-making process by visiting the Foundation website.
Grant-Making Per Year: Since its establishment, the Foundation has awarded over $500 million in grants. In 2019, the Foundation provided grants in the amount of $14 million.
Recovery and Supportive Housing Grantee Example: Recovery Point offers phased treatment, from inpatient programs to transitional living. Recovery Point has locations throughout West Virginia, including Bluefield, Charleston, Huntington, and Parkersburg.
Council on Chemical Abuse
The Council on Chemical Abuse (COCA) is based in Reading, Pennsylvania, and was founded in 1971. The mission of this nonprofit organization is to fund addiction services, including prevention, treatment, and policies.
Regions: COCA focuses funding on partially rural Berks County, Pennsylvania.
Issues Supported: COCA exclusively funds programs and projects addressing addiction.
Grant Process and Application: For more information about the grantmaking process, contact COCA by phone at 610-376-8669 or email at drugfree@councilonchemicalabuse.org.
Grant-Making Per Year: In FY 2020, COCA provided grants in the amount of $6.2 million.
Recovery and Supportive Housing Grantee Example: Easy Does It is a grantee in Leesport, Pennsylvania, in partially rural Berks County. Easy Does It offers a variety of services, including supportive housing for individuals struggling with substance use disorder and homelessness.
Douglas O. and Gail S. Tozour Foundation
The Douglas O. and Gail S. Tozour Foundation is based in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania.
Regions: The Foundation primarily supports organizations in Pennsylvania, with limited grant-making in New Jersey and South Carolina.
Issues Supported: Key issue areas include arts and culture, education, family services, and youth development.
Grant Process and Application: The Foundation generally does not accept unsolicited funding requests. Find out more information by contacting the foundation by phone at 610-962-1686.
Grant-Making Per Year: In 2019, the Foundation provided grants in the amount of $117,171.
Recovery and Supportive Housing Grantee Example: Surfside Recovery Services is a grantee based in Ventnor City, New Jersey, in partially rural Atlantic County. The organization offers supportive services for men with substance use disorders and incorporates life skills development and adventure into programming.
Northwest Charitable Foundation
The Northwest Charitable Foundation is based in Warren, Pennsylvania, and was established in 2011.
Regions: The Northwest Charitable Foundation funds organizations in Pennsylvania. Examples of rural counties include McKean, Susquehanna, and Warren.
Issues Supported: Key funding interests include education, hospital care, housing development, human services, land resources, transitional living, and youth development.
Grant Process and Application: Unsolicited funding requests are generally not accepted. Find out more information by contacting the foundation by phone at 814-728-7260.
Grant-Making Per Year: In 2019, the Foundation provided grants in the amount of $1.1 million.
Recovery and Supportive Housing Grantee Example: The Network of the Spirit Ministries is an organization based in Bradford, Pennsylvania, in rural McKean County. The Network operates two recovery housing facilities, one for women and one for men. Each facility houses seven individuals struggling with substance abuse.
Philo & Sarah Blaisdell Foundation
The Philo & Sarah Blaisdell Foundation is a family foundation located in Bradford, Pennsylvania and was established in 1950.
Regions: The Foundation’s grant-making is focused on rural McKean County, in Pennsylvania.
Issues Supported: The Foundation focuses grantmaking on human services and education. Included issue areas are child welfare, family services, higher education, and medical care.
Grant Process and Application: The first step in the grant application process is to send a letter. For more information, contact the foundation by phone at 814-362-6340.
Grant-Making Per Year: In 2019, the Foundation provided grants in the amount of $460,505.
Recovery and Supportive Housing Grantee Example: The Network of the Spirit Ministries is a grantee located in Bradford, Pennsylvania, in rural McKean County. The Spirit Ministries operates the Gratitude House for women in recovery and the Surr’enity House for men in recovery. Both homes are based on a 12-step recovery program and are located in Bradford.
Pennsylvania Opioid Settlement Funds
Total Settlement Funds in Pennsylvania
- $1.07 billion
Fund Distribution
- 85% to local governments through the Opioid Settlement Restricted Account
- 15% to the state
Timeline
- Funds from three distributors will be paid over 18 years
- Funds from Johnson & Johnson will be paid over 9 years
Application Process
- Not established
Spending So Far
- NA
Key Contacts
- Office of the Attorney General Josh Shapiro, 717-787-3391
Key Links
How About Your County?
To get a quick overview of the resources available in your county, including gaps that may need to be addressed, visit the Recovery Ecosystem Index Map developed through a partnership between the Fletcher Group Rural Center of Excellence, the NORC Walsh Center at the University of Chicago, and East Tennessee State University.
Need More Info?
A year in the making by a staff of ten, the Fletcher Group’s 82-page Recovery Housing Landscape Report provides an in-depth overview of the most recent laws, policies, and funding affecting recovery housing. You’ll find sections devoted to state laws, SAMHSA funding, Medicaid, corrections, and housing assistance plus numerous links to valuable resources and official documents. To see the complete downloadable report, click the image to the left.
This web page is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $13.7 million with 0% financed with non-governmental sources. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government.
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