Grant Research & Funding Resources for Substance Abuse

The need for research and funding for substance abuse programs is strong. The cost of substance abuse is staggering, costing the U.S. $66.9 billion on average each year due to drug-related illnesses, deaths and crime. The cost in terms of lost productivity, auto accidents, law enforcement and health care equals $1,000 for each and every American adult and child each year. Grant funding is one way that scientists get the means to carry out research toward improving drug and alcohol abuse prevention, treatment and policy.

History

• Wine has been around since the early Egyptians used it.

  The use of mind-altering substances goes back thousands of years -- wine was used by the early Egyptians, narcotics since the earliest Mesopotamian civilizations in 4,000 B.C. and the medicinal use of marijuana from 2737 B.C. in China. In the United States, substances were unregulated and freely purchased and consumed until the first national drug law was initiated in 1906, requiring labeling of medications that contained opiates. During the early 1900s, the government began to recognize substance abuse as a problem, and by 1930 the U.S. Federal Bureau of Narcotics began funding basic research on substance abuse.

Significance

• As populations grow and the abuse of substances (alcohol and drugs) increases, government and nonprofit agencies have a growing need for research and funding for substance abuse programs. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health's 2008 report, an estimated 20.1 million Americans age 12 and older (8 percent of the population) were current illicit drug users. According to the Centers for Disease Control, in 2008 half of all adults were reported as regular alcohol drinkers.

Function

• Grant research and funding agencies provide an important service in helping researchers and organizations to understand and address the problems associated with drug and alcohol abuse. From examining trends and designing and implementing successful treatment plans to training staff, resources are invaluable and necessary.
  One such agency, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, is directed by Congress to address the nation's substance abuse problem in the areas of research and implementation of services. The agency addresses the mental illness aspect as well, with a mission to reduce the effect of substance abuse in tandem with mental illness on the communities of the U.S. through research and grant opportunities.

Types

• Government agencies are still the primary providers and administrators of funding.The National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) supports and conducts research and combine the results of this research to improve prevention, treatment and policy relative to drug and alcohol abuse.

  National Institute on Drug Abuse
  National Institutes of Health
  6001 Executive Blvd., Room 5213
  Bethesda, MD 20892-9561
  301-443-1124
  drugabuse.gov

  Grants.gov is a centralized website with information on over 1,000 grant programs, with over $500 billion in available funds for all types of grant programs. Among the grants available are numerous funding options under the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration.

  U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
  200 Independence Ave., S.W.
  HHH Building
  Washington, DC 20201
  http://www.grants.gov/

Considerations

• When seeking grants for research and program funding, be sure to follow guidelines, understand eligibility requirements and adhere to application closing dates.