The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), a division within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), announced today that it has awarded $98 million for the Hepatitis C Elimination Initiative Pilot. This groundbreaking program was designed to support communities severely affected by homelessness, addiction, and mental illness by pairing tools for preventing, testing, treating and curing Hepatitis C (HCV) with the provision of behavioral health services in individuals with substance use disorder (SUD) and/or serious mental illness (SMI).

“SAMHSA’s funding is a direct investment in our communities,” said SAMHSA Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Dr. Art Kleinschmidt. “The Hepatitis C Elimination Initiative Pilot is a new and innovative program that will deliver real results for Americans.”

Nineteen state and community-based organizations were awarded individual grants under the Hepatitis C Elimination Initiative Pilot announced in July, ranging from approximately $2.5 million to $7.5 million for up to two years. The pilot developed by SAMHSA, which will administer the grant, is projected to both save lives and help communities reduce health care costs. Selected demonstration sites will provide effective treatment while developing best practices and successful models that can be applied to additional communities.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. To learn how to get support for mental health, drug or alcohol issues, visit FindSupport.gov. If you are ready to locate a treatment facility or provider, you can go directly to FindTreatment.gov or call 800-662-HELP (4357).