Opportunity Information: Apply for CDC RFA CE15 1501
Apply for CDC RFA CE15 1501
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Prescription Drug Overdose Prevention for States" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.136 Injury Prevention and Control Research and State and Community Based Programs.
- This funding opportunity was created on May 27, 2015 and posted on Mar 6, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 2, 2015 Electronically submitted applications must be submitted no later than 1159 p.m., ET, on the listed application due date.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $55,600,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 16 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments.
- Current Boost States States funded under the Boost FOA (CDC RFA CE14 1404) are eligible to apply for this program. If a state currently receiving support under Prevention Boost receives funding under this FOA, it will no longer receive funding under Boost and will instead receive funding exclusively under this program. Prevention Boost states that do not apply or are not awarded funds under this program will continue their work under Boost. Because this funding requires activity to enhance state PDMPs, states where a PDMP is not authorized are not eligible to apply for this funding. Applicants must provide a Letter of Support (LOS) from A state level law enforcement authority in their state. The LOS must show that the law enforcement authority supports the application and agrees to regular meetings to support and coordinate activities. The state substance abuse services authority in their state. The LOS must show that the substance abuse authority supports the application and agrees to regular meetings to support and coordinate activities. The PDMP authority in their state showing the PDMP authority supports the application, agrees to quarterly meetings to support and coordinate activities, and how the PDMP authority will facilitate proposed activities for enhancing and maximizing the statersquos PDMP. Applicants implementing insurer/health system interventions under Priority Strategy #2 must provide a LOS from the state authority managing the entity where the work is focused. For example, if a proposal is for creating an opioid management program for the state Medicaid program, show an LOS from the Medicaid authority. If improving an element of the Workersrsquo Compensation program, provide a LOS from the Workersrsquo Compensation authority. If the applicant is integrating and/or disseminating evidence based opioid prescribing guidelines in partnership with a particular health system or insurance program, the applicant should include a LOS from that system or program. The LOS must demonstrate the authorityrsquos support, agreement to quarterly meetings, and explanation of how the state authority will facilitate the proposed activities. If the priority strategy of policy evaluation is chosen, applicants must provide a LOS from agencies that maintain access to relevant data the state will be using for evaluation. The LOS must indicate the agencyrsquos support and agreement to share data for evaluation purposes.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offered the "Prescription Drug Overdose Prevention for States" funding opportunity (CDC RFA CE15-1501) as a discretionary cooperative agreement aimed at helping state health departments reduce prescription drug overdose by directly addressing problematic opioid prescribing. The program focuses on changing the systems and behaviors that fuel inappropriate prescribing, with the expectation that strengthening data tools and implementing payer and health system interventions will produce measurable improvements in patient safety and overdose-related health outcomes over time. Because it is a cooperative agreement, recipients should expect an ongoing working relationship with CDC that includes guidance, coordination, and accountability around implementation.
Funded states were required to tackle prescribing from multiple angles rather than relying on a single strategy. Two core expectations stand out. First, awardees had to expand and enhance their state Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP), which is the state-run database used to track controlled substance prescriptions and support clinical decision-making, public health surveillance, and enforcement activities. Second, they had to implement interventions within a health insurer or health system setting, such as programs within Medicaid, Workers' Compensation, or specific insurance or provider systems. Beyond those required components, states could choose to add policy evaluations or other innovative prescribing improvements, allowing them to assess what is working in their own environments and refine approaches based on evidence.
The award structure indicates a mid-sized but meaningful investment per state paired with a substantial overall program budget. CDC anticipated making 16 awards, with an estimated total funding amount of $55.6 million. Individual awards were expected to fall between $750,000 (floor) and $1,000,000 (ceiling). There was no cost-sharing or matching requirement, which reduces barriers for state agencies that may have limited ability to provide non-federal funds. The funding was tied to CFDA 93.136, associated with injury prevention and control research and state and community-based programs, reinforcing the program's framing of overdoses as a preventable injury and public health crisis.
Eligibility was limited to state governments, and there were several notable conditions. States needed to have a PDMP authorized; states without an authorized PDMP were not eligible because PDMP enhancement was a required activity. In addition, states funded under CDC's earlier "Prevention Boost" program (CDC RFA CE14-1404) were eligible to apply, but there was an important funding interaction: if a Boost state received this new award, it would stop receiving Boost funds and instead be funded exclusively under this program. Boost states that did not apply or were not selected would continue their Boost work.
The application requirements emphasized cross-sector coordination and formal buy-in from key partners, reflecting the reality that opioid prescribing and overdose prevention crosses public health, clinical practice, payer policy, substance use treatment systems, and law enforcement. Applicants had to provide Letters of Support (LOS) from multiple entities. At a minimum, this included: (1) a state-level law enforcement authority agreeing to support the project and participate in regular coordination meetings; (2) the state substance abuse services authority, also committing to support and regular meetings; and (3) the PDMP authority, committing to quarterly coordination meetings and describing how it would enable and facilitate PDMP enhancement and effective use. If the proposed work included insurer or health system interventions (which were required), applicants also needed an LOS from the relevant state authority or entity being targeted, such as Medicaid, Workers' Compensation, or a partnering health system or insurance program, again showing support, quarterly meeting participation, and practical facilitation of the proposed activities. If the state chose to conduct policy evaluations, additional LOS documents were required from agencies controlling access to the needed datasets, explicitly agreeing to share data for evaluation.
The timeline shows this was a time-limited competition in 2015, originally posted March 6, 2015. The original closing date was May 8, 2015, later extended to June 2, 2015, with electronic submissions due by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the deadline. The opportunity was archived July 2, 2015. The listed CDC contact for access issues was Eric Gross (EUW9@cdc.gov), through CDC grants policy channels.
Overall, this opportunity was designed to help states build stronger infrastructure and coordinated interventions that can measurably reduce risky opioid prescribing. By requiring both PDMP enhancement and insurer/health system action, the program pushed states to improve both the data and the decision environments that shape prescribing, while also encouraging evaluation and innovation so states could identify effective strategies and sustain progress.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1) What is the "Prescription Drug Overdose Prevention for States" opportunity?
It is a CDC discretionary cooperative agreement funding opportunity titled "Prescription Drug Overdose Prevention for States" (CDC RFA CE15-1501). It was designed to help state health departments reduce prescription drug overdose by directly addressing problematic opioid prescribing through system-level improvements and coordinated interventions.
2) What is the main goal of this program?
The goal is to reduce prescription drug overdose by changing systems and behaviors that contribute to inappropriate opioid prescribing. The program emphasizes strengthening data tools (especially PDMP capabilities) and implementing interventions in payer and health system environments, with the expectation of measurable improvements in patient safety and overdose-related health outcomes over time.
3) What does it mean that this funding is a cooperative agreement?
Because it is a cooperative agreement, recipients should expect an ongoing working relationship with CDC. This includes CDC guidance, coordination, and accountability related to implementation, rather than a more hands-off relationship that may occur in other award types.
4) Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was limited to state governments. A key condition was that the state had to have a Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) authorized, because PDMP enhancement was a required activity under the award.
5) Were states without an authorized PDMP eligible?
No. States without an authorized PDMP were not eligible, because expanding and enhancing the PDMP was a required component of the funded work.
6) How many awards did CDC anticipate making, and what was the total estimated funding?
CDC anticipated making 16 awards, with an estimated total funding amount of $55.6 million across the program.
7) What was the expected funding range per award?
Individual awards were expected to range from $750,000 (floor) to $1,000,000 (ceiling).
8) Was cost-sharing or matching required?
No. The opportunity stated there was no cost-sharing or matching requirement.
9) What is CFDA 93.136 and why is it mentioned?
The funding was tied to CFDA 93.136, which is associated with injury prevention and control research and state and community-based programs. In this opportunity, it reinforces the framing of overdoses as a preventable injury and a public health crisis.
10) What were the required program components for funded states?
Funded states were required to address prescribing from multiple angles rather than relying on a single strategy. Two core expectations were required: (1) expand and enhance the state PDMP, and (2) implement interventions within a health insurer or health system setting (for example, within Medicaid, Workers' Compensation, or specific insurance or provider systems).
11) What is a PDMP in the context of this program?
The PDMP is the state-run database used to track controlled substance prescriptions. It supports clinical decision-making, public health surveillance, and enforcement activities. Under this opportunity, PDMP expansion and enhancement were required activities.
12) What kinds of health insurer or health system interventions were expected?
The program required states to implement interventions in a payer or health system environment. Examples named in the opportunity include programs within Medicaid, Workers' Compensation, or specific insurance or provider systems.
13) Could states include activities beyond PDMP enhancement and insurer/health system interventions?
Yes. Beyond the required components, states could choose to add policy evaluations or other innovative prescribing improvements. This was intended to help states assess what is working in their own environments and refine approaches based on evidence.
14) What role did evaluation play in this opportunity?
Evaluation was presented as an optional addition states could choose to include (for example, policy evaluations). The intent was to support evidence-based refinement by allowing states to determine what strategies were effective in their own context.
15) What coordination or partnership expectations were included in the application?
The application requirements emphasized cross-sector coordination and formal buy-in. Applicants had to submit Letters of Support (LOS) from multiple entities and show that key partners would participate in ongoing coordination, including regular or quarterly meetings depending on the partner.
16) Which Letters of Support (LOS) were required at a minimum?
At a minimum, applicants needed LOS from: (1) a state-level law enforcement authority agreeing to support the project and participate in regular coordination meetings; (2) the state substance abuse services authority, also committing to support and regular meetings; and (3) the PDMP authority, committing to quarterly coordination meetings and describing how it would enable and facilitate PDMP enhancement and effective use.
17) Were additional Letters of Support required for insurer or health system interventions?
Yes. Because insurer/health system interventions were required, applicants also needed an LOS from the relevant state authority or entity being targeted (such as Medicaid, Workers' Compensation, or a partnering health system or insurance program). This LOS needed to indicate support, quarterly meeting participation, and practical facilitation of the proposed activities.
18) When were additional Letters of Support required for policy evaluation activities?
If a state chose to conduct policy evaluations, additional LOS documents were required from agencies that controlled access to the needed datasets. These letters had to explicitly agree to share data for evaluation.
19) How did this opportunity relate to the earlier "Prevention Boost" program?
States funded under CDC's earlier "Prevention Boost" program (CDC RFA CE14-1404) were eligible to apply. If a Boost state received this new award, it would stop receiving Boost funds and instead be funded exclusively under this program. Boost states that did not apply or were not selected would continue their Boost work.
20) When was this funding opportunity posted, and what were the deadlines?
The opportunity was originally posted on March 6, 2015. The original closing date was May 8, 2015, and it was later extended to June 2, 2015.
21) What time were electronic submissions due on the deadline?
Electronic submissions were due by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the deadline date.
22) When was the opportunity archived?
The opportunity was archived on July 2, 2015.
23) Who was the CDC contact listed for access issues?
The listed CDC contact for access issues was Eric Gross (EUW9@cdc.gov), through CDC grants policy channels.
24) What was the underlying approach or theory of change described for reducing overdoses?
The opportunity reflected the expectation that strengthening data tools (PDMP enhancements) and implementing payer/health system interventions would change prescribing systems and behaviors. Over time, these changes were expected to lead to measurable improvements in patient safety and overdose-related health outcomes.
25) Why did the program require both PDMP enhancement and insurer/health system interventions?
Requiring both components pushed states to improve the data environment (through stronger PDMP infrastructure and use) and the decision environment (through payer and health system interventions that influence prescribing). The design aimed to create coordinated, reinforcing changes rather than relying on a single strategy.
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