Substance Use Prevention, Treatment and Recovery Services Block Grant
Summary and Purpose
Mandated by Congress, SAMHSA administers the Substance Use Prevention, Treatment and Recovery Services Block Grant (SUBG) noncompetitive, formula grant through SAMHSA's Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) Performance Partnership Branch, in collaboration with the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) Division of State Programs. The SUBG, previously known as Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant (SABG) is authorized by Section 1921 of Title XIX, Part B, Subpart II and III of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act. The SUBG implementing regulations are found in Title 45 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 96 (45 CFR 96); and the SUBG Program is subject to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements are found in 45 CFR Part 75.
DHCS acts as a pass-through agency to provide SUBG funding to local non-federal governments to either provide SUD services directly or by contracting with local SUD providers. The SUBG Program's objective is to help plan, implement, and evaluate activities that prevent and treat SUDs. Grantees use the SUBG program for prevention, treatment, recovery support, and other services to supplement Medicaid.
DHCS submits a biennial, Federal Fiscal Year (FFY), SUBG Application to Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) outlining the State's plan to monitor grant funded Substance Use Disorder (SUD) prevention and treatment programs throughout California.
For additional information regarding the Block Grant Application, please visit the website listed below or email SUBG@dhcs.ca.gov.
SUBG Behavioral Health Report (SUBG Report)
DHCS submits the annual FFY SUBG Report to SAMHSA to report progress on identified goals in the State Plan, and report state agency expenditures projected in the biennial SABG Application.
To access California's current, approved SUBG Report, or a prior FFY Application Report, visit SAMHSA's Web-based Grant Application System (WebBGAS); Username: citizenca; Password: citizen. Once you have logged in, click on "View an Existing Application."
Annual Synar Report (ASR)
DHCS submits the ASR to SAMHSA describing California's efforts to enforce youth tobacco access laws and the State's future plans to reduce youth tobacco access rates, pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 300x–26. States are required to effectuate laws prohibiting selling or distributing tobacco products to any individual under age 18 and compliance is enforced through random, unannounced inspections.
To access California's current ASR, or a previous years' ASR, visit SAMHSA's Web-based Grant Application System (WebBGAS); Username: citizenca; Password: citizen. Once you have logged in, click on "View an Existing Application."
Statewide Needs Assessment and Planning Report (SNAP)
FFY 2023 SNAP Report Notice
DHCS submits the SNAP in the same year as the SABG Behavioral Health Assessment and Plan. The SNAP describes the State's plan to provide and improve SUD services over the next two state fiscal years.
2023 SNAP Report
For additional information regarding the SNAP Report, please email SUBG@dhcs.ca.gov.
SUBG Programs
| Project | Description |
| Friday Night Live/Club Live | The Friday Night Live (FNL) program is a youth development program, aimed at high school youth and designed to prevent alcohol and other drug use. As an extension of FNL, Club Live (CL) aims at middle school-aged students. |
| Perinatal Set-Aside | Perinatal Set-Aside funds are used for women-specific services for treatment and recovery from alcohol and other substance use disorders, along with diverse supportive services for California women and their children. |
| Adolescent and Youth Treatment Program | SUBG Adolescent and Youth Treatment (AYT) funds provide comprehensive, age-appropriate, substance use disorder services to youth. The Youth Treatment Guidelines, revised in August 2002, are designed for counties to use in developing and implementing AYT programs funded by this allocation. |
| Prevention Set-Aside | U.S.C. Title 42, Section 300x-22(a) requires the State to spend a minimum of 20 percent of the total SUBG Award to California on primary prevention services. For SFY 2020-21, California is prioritizing prevention, which is defined as strategies, programs and services directed at individuals who have not been determined to require treatment for a substance use disorder. |
| SUBG Discretionary | SUBG Discretionary funds provide for needed substance use disorder treatment, prevention, and recovery services, including services to specific populations. Those populations include youth and pregnant and parenting women. In accordance with United States Code (U.S.C.), Title 42, Section 300x-21, SABG Discretionary funds may be spent on planning, carrying out, and evaluating activities to prevent and treat substance use disorders. |
SUBG Funded Syringe Services Programs
DHCS, with the support of CDPH and the CDC, has received approval from SAMHSA to utilize SUBG funding within the state of California to support existing Syringe Services Programs (SSPs), or to start new ones, beginning October 1, 2024.
Within the Biennial SFY 2024-26 SUBG County Application, there is a new enclosure that describes the requirements for counties to implement SSP services (Enclosure 5).
DHCS has developed an informational webinar and PowerPoint presentation that can be used to prepare for the SSP portion of the SUBG County application.
SUBG SSP Recorded Webinar
SUBG SSP Recorded Webinar Transcript
SUBG SSP PowerPoint Presentation
Fiscal Forms
Quarterly: Report forms:
For current versions of the DHCS 1784QTR Quarterly Financial Status Report form and DHCS 1785QTR Quarterly Grant Cash Transaction Report, please send an email to: SUBG@dhcs.ca.gov.
Year-End Report forms:
To request current versions of the cost report guidance and enclosures, please send an email to: SUBG@dhcs.ca.gov.
- DHCS 1784 YE Financial Status Report
- DHCS 1785 YE Grant Cash Transaction Report
- DHCS 1767 YE Federal Grant Expenditure Report
- DHCS 1767-S YE Federal Grant Expenditure Report Summary
Contact Us
For questions regarding SUBG, email SUBG@dhcs.ca.gov.
If you think you are having an emergency for an unexpected medical condition, including a psychiatric emergency medical condition, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room for help. If you or someone you know is in crisis, please call 911 or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at (800) 273-TALK (8255).