Treatment Access
- Licensed two medication Units, one in a carceral setting
- Licensed two additional mobile medication units, bringing the total to four statewide
- Launched a telehealth-only licensure exception and approved two telehealth-only providers
Overdose Prevention Program
- Nearly 800,000 doses of naloxone and more than 737,000 fentanyl/xylazine test strips distributed
- Over 11,400 overdose reversals documented by overdose prevention parters and community members
- Used fatal overdose surveillance data and mapping tools to guide targeted naloxone distribution in counties with high overdose rates and BIPOC populations
Featured Overdose Prevention Partnership
- Philadelphia’s Office of Public Safety and the Philadelphia Fire Department launched the “Naloxone in Black” initiative, supplying 48,312 doses of Narcan through DDAP’s Overdose Prevention Program
- Newspaper-style naloxone boxes were installed outside 61 Philadelphia Fire Department stations, creating a citywide network of 24/7 access points for free naloxone provided by the Shapiro Administration
Naloxone Access
- Pennsylvania ranked third in the nation for naloxone distributed in 2025, with more than 10,700 doses given out during Save a Life Day on September 25
- Over 100 sites across the state hosted distribution events using doses funded through DDAP’s Overdose Prevention Program
Anti-Stigma Campaign
- Continued the Life Unites Us campaign, reinforcing substance use disorder as a medical condition and highlighting that recovery is possible
- Reached nearly 600,000 Pennsylvanians from August 31–September 30, generated more than 1 million social media views, recorded 1,500+ website sessions, delivered the newsletter to 1,700+ subscribers, and added 10 new community-based organization partners
Outreach to Black Men
- Expanded stigma-reduction education for Black men and their loved ones through the Life Unites Us campaign, reaching nearly 245,000 BIPOC adults and generating 417,000+ views and almost 95,000 engagements*
- Targeted treatment-access messaging to reach Black men through the paid Get Help Now media campaign
*Year 5 contracted period August 31–December 31, 2025
Outreach to Older Adults
- Targeted older adults through the Life Unites Us campaign, reaching over 293,000 older adults and generating 507,000+ views and nearly 100,000 engagements* with anti-stigma messaging
- Expanded treatment-access messaging for older adults through the paid Get Help Now media campaign
*Year 5 contracted period August 31–December 31, 2025
Outreach to Rural Communities
- Expanded stigma-reduction education for rural Pennsylvanians through the Life Unites Us campaign, reaching nearly 315,000 individuals and generating 630,000+ views and 150,000+ impressions*
*Year 5 contracted period August 31–December 31, 2025
In 2025, DDAP strengthened the substance use disorder workforce and support system by building recruitment pipelines, expanding high-quality training, and delivering accessible education for families and loved ones.
Workforce Recruitment
- Developed the Workforce Recruitment Initiative to increase a minimum of 75 staff to the SUD workforce by 2027 from master’s degree students who receive DDAP-funded fellowships and practicums at two Pennsylvania universities: Waynesburg and Carlow
Training Highlights for the Field
- 14,772 learners completed on-demand trainings
- 6,477 learners attended 380 in-person and virtual trainings
- Launched four instructor-led tobacco use-related trainings
Family Education and Support
- Turned feedback from Pennsylvanians into a seven-part, on-demand Family Learning Series for family members, loved ones, and friends of people with substance use disorder
In 2025, DDAP advanced coordinated whole-person care investing in integrated health models, increasing access to recovery housing and community-based recovery supports, and strengthening system coordination with opioid treatment providers to support better care outcomes.
Integrated Substance Use and Primary Health Care
- Developed a grant, supported by $3 million in opioid settlement funds, to increase opportunities for integrated substance use and physical health care in Pennsylvania
- Three integrated health services centers to advance coordinated clinical practices between behavioral health care and primary physical health needs, enhancing whole-person care and improving participants’ outcomes
Provider Support and Operations
- Launched quarterly meetings with opioid treatment providers to strengthen whole person care through intentional communication, data sharing, and coordinated workflows
- Inaugural meeting drew participation from 85 providers
Recovery Supports
- Expanded access to DDAP-licensed recovery housing by selecting five grantees to support housing placement, financial assistance, and case management connecting individuals to treatment, employment, and other health-related social needs
- Expanded community-based recovery supports by selecting another five grantees to provide support in local communities
In 2025, DDAP strengthened operational excellence by reorganizing internal operations, initiating regulatory reform, and coordinating licensing and oversight efforts to reduce administrative burden for providers while expanding public engagement.
Internal Reorganization
- Launched the Bureau of Operational Excellence (BOE)
- Brought together three divisions — Evaluation and Improvement, Innovation and Learning, and Oversight and Monitoring — to strengthen DDAP’s capacity for data-driven decision making, maintain excellent fiscal stewardship and continuous improvement both internally and across our stakeholder network
Regulatory Reform
- Initiated the regulatory reform drafting process within DDAP’s multi-year regulatory project timeline
Licensing & Oversight
- Established coordinated licensing inspection visits at facilities dually licensed by DDAP and the Department of Human Services
Social Media
- Gained over 3.8K followers across platforms (+49% over 2024)
- Had 87.2 million views on content
- Reached 13.3 million accounts
- Had 61K interactions with content
Measured across Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram