Henrico receives $275K opioid abatement grant for faith-based education program

Henrico County will receive $275,000 in state funding to launch a faith-based opioid education and prevention initiative as part of a broader effort by the Virginia Opioid Abatement Authority to combat substance use disorders statewide.

On Jan. 20, an OAA committee approved a total of $545,429 in grants for five Virginia communities to support new or expanded opioid abatement and remediation programs. Officials said the grants are designed to strengthen local, evidence-based responses to the ongoing opioid crisis.

“These awards provide support to Virginia cities and counties to implement and expand opioid abatement programs that meet the current and future needs of their communities,” said Sen. Todd Pillion, chair of the OAA Board of Directors.

Delegate Brianna Sewell said funding community-level projects allows local leaders “on the front lines to steer the solutions,” while vice chair Dr. Sarah Thomason noted that earlier rounds of grants are already showing results.

Henrico’s award will fund a faith-based project aimed at equipping as many as 20 faith leaders with tools and knowledge to better address substance use disorder within their congregations and communities.

The county plans to contract with an outside organization that will provide in-person education during a one-year period, helping participants understand addiction, connect residents with treatment and recovery services, and reduce stigma surrounding substance use.

Faith leaders participating in the program will meet prevention, treatment, recovery and harm-reduction providers, while also developing projects tailored to their congregations.

According to grant documents, the effort is expected to benefit more than 5,000 local residents and include a diverse cross-section of religious communities, likely including Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu and Christian groups, among others.

The initiative is rooted in an evidence-informed model based on the Clinton Foundation’s “Empowering Faith Leaders to Address the Addiction and Overdose Crisis,” which has demonstrated increased knowledge of treatment resources and stronger collaboration among community partners.

Henrico County plans to issue a public request for proposals to select a contractor for the program. The grant is fully funded through a one-time OAA individual distribution award, with the goal of expanding long-term community capacity through trained faith leaders who can continue outreach and support well beyond the grant cycle.