Two area organizations that help people in recovery have each received a $1.5 million grant to help continue and expand their services.

New Roots Recovery, which has offices in Tamaqua, Hazleton and Wilkes-Barre, and NorthBound & Co., based in Stroudsburg, are among the six recovery centers across the state that will receive a total of $8 million in grants announced Tuesday by the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs.

Funding is meant to expand and enhance support services for those in recovery from opioid use and other substance abuse disorders.

“Having accessible community supports is fundamental to recovery,” department Secretary Dr. Latika Davis-Jones said in a statement. “This funding will directly improve care delivery and recovery services by addressing the four main areas of recovery: health, home, purpose and community.”

Recipients were selected based on criteria from the Pennsylvania Department of Health’s 2022 overdose death data and reflect death rates higher than the state average.

The most recent data reports overdose deaths from “any drug” in 2023, with 139 in Luzerne County; 61 in Schuylkill; 28 in Carbon; 60 in Northampton; and 146 in Lehigh. Data from Monroe County is unavailable. However, the Health Department notes that most deaths across the state were caused by opioids including fentanyl, which is a synthetic opioid.

The grants are for a 24-month period beginning on July 1.

With the funds, the department said that the organizations will be able to offer peer-to-peer support, individual and group meetings along with educational events related to addiction and recovery and life and job skills.

The grants also allow for recovery health and wellness educational events, recovery planning and support groups for veterans and youths.

Funding is provided through the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s State Opioid Response IV grant program, which aims to help reduce unmet treatment needs and opioid-related overdose deaths nationwide through state-by-state allocations.

— Jill Whalen