District of ColumbiaCouncil declares emergency need to continue substance-use outreach grants
The Council declares that emergency legislation is needed to keep current 2026 outreach grantees serving high-need areas until a permanent program starts.
What it does
The Council declares that emergency legislation is needed to keep every current 2026 outreach grantee funded at its existing location until the permanent program begins. Funding would come from the opioid-response fund.
Argument forFast action could prevent an outreach gap and preserve links to harm-reduction support and treatment in high-need neighborhoods.
Argument againstKeeping every current grantee at the same locations could reduce the department’s flexibility to shift opioid-response money toward different communities or services.
More detail
The Council declares emergency circumstances and says a separate grant-funding amendment should be adopted after one reading. The planned amendment would cover all current fiscal year 2026 grantee organizations at their existing locations. Any continuation would depend on adoption of the separate emergency amendment. The Department of Behavioral Health would use money from the Opioid Abatement Fund. The declaration took effect immediately on September 22, 2026. Current awards were due to end September 30, 2026, and continuation would last until the permanent program starts.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed 1st Chamber
- Passed 2nd Chamber
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Oct 2Resolution R26-0515, Effective from Sep 22, 2026 Published in DC Register Vol 73 and Page 012782Latest
- Sep 22Approved with Resolution Number R26-0515Major
- Vote recorded Final Reading. Result: pass.Legislature
- Sep 22Final ReadingMinor
- Sep 22Retained by the Council
- Sep 21PR26-0793 Introduced by Councilmember Nadeau at Office of the SecretaryIntroduced
HealthcareMental HealthTaxes & Budget