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Additional Directives

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All grantees must abide by the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, follow funding prohibitions against ACORN, and review SAMHSA's incentive policies.

Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000

The Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 is a comprehensive federal law that was enacted to protect victims of trafficking or to prosecute their traffickers.

All SAMHSA grantees are required to abide by the award term that implements Section 106 (g) of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, as amended (22 USC 7104). The award term is now located at 2 CFR Part 175.

Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN)

In accordance with guidance provided by the Department of Health and Human Services, funding prohibitions regarding the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) and related entities remain in effect pending further litigation as to ACORN's First Amendment and due process claims.

All SAMHSA grantees are required to abide by these prohibitions (PDF | 1 MB).

Incentives

"Incentives" refer to any monetary or service benefit that you provide to program participants to attract and retain them in the service or prevention program. The dictionary defines "incentive" as "something that encourages or motivates somebody to do something."

SAMHSA discretionary grant funds may be used for non-cash incentives.

Only Non-Cash Incentives Before and After Programs

Non-cash incentives to participants in treatment and prevention programs are essential to retain individuals and to encourage attendance and attainment of treatment or prevention goals. You must build all the non-cash incentives into the program design, and they should be of minimal cash value.

Do not use discretionary grant funds to make direct cash payments to individuals during the treatment or prevention program.

SAMHSA policy supports the appropriate, judicious, and conservative use of incentives in discretionary grant programs. Incentives should be the minimum amount necessary to meet the program and evaluation goals of the grant, up to $30. You should determine the minimum amount to be effective as follows:

Before the Program: You may not use discretionary grant funds to make direct payments to individuals to induce them to enter treatment or prevention programs.

During the Program: You may use discretionary grant funds for "wrap-around services" (non-clinical supportive services) that intend to:

  • Improve an individual's access to and retention in treatment that is deemed essential to meeting program goals as they relate to the target population
  • Improve access to and retention in prevention programs
  • Meet abstinence benchmarks

After the program: SAMHSA allows for discretionary grant funds to be used for incentives (not to exceed a cash value of $30) for individuals to participate in required data collection follow-up. 

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