Each October, we celebrate Substance Use Prevention Month — an opportunity to highlight the importance of prevention and the positive impact prevention is having on individuals, families, and communities across the country. Preventing substance use is a major priority for the Biden-Harris Administration, as evidenced by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Overdose Prevention Strategy.
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Harm Reduction: Findings from the Field
In 2022, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) funded 25 awards for its inaugural Harm Reduction Grant Program. Harm reduction is nested throughout the continuum of prevention, treatment, and recovery, with a service model that is strategic, practical, and transformative.
Together We Can: International Overdose Awareness Day 2024
In 2023, our nation witnessed the first annual decline in overdose deaths since 2018. In 2022, there were over 111,000 deaths. In 2023, that number fell to 107,543. Though modest, this suggests that nationwide efforts to reduce overdoses are making a positive impact. However, the work is not finished.

Addressing Social Determinants of Health Among Individuals Experiencing Homelessness
Over 582,000 individuals across the country were experiencing homelessness on a single night in 2022. The Point-in-Time (PIT) census is a count of sheltered and unsheltered individuals experiencing homelessness on a single night in January. The PIT count is valuable in quantifying homelessness, identifying year-over-year trends, and supporting policy development.