The Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant is still Important even with the Expansion of Medicaid

This report looks at SAMHSA Block Grants that serve as a safety net for individuals without health insurance or other resources who seek specialty substance use treatment and prevention services. Under the Affordable Care Act, some of the treatment options that were covered by the SAMHSA Block Grants are likely to be covered by the expansion in Medicaid. Despite the expected increase in Medicaid enrollment, this short report finds that the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant (SAPT) will still be important in paying for specialty substance abuse treatment for uninsured, low-income individuals.