Emergency Department Substance Use Surveillance System | EDSUSS 2022

Opportunity Information: Apply for EDSUSS 2022

The Emergency Department Substance Use Surveillance System (EDSUSS 2022) is a discretionary funding opportunity from the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to support research that strengthens drug early warning indicators and helps inform national and local drug policy. The core idea is practical and cost-efficient: instead of collecting new biological samples, the project re-uses urine specimens that have already been collected and tested under routine hospital or emergency department drug testing protocols. Before those specimens are discarded, the awardee will conduct additional, expanded laboratory testing to look for a broader range of substances, with a particular emphasis on drugs that are often missed by conventional panels, such as fentanyl, methamphetamine, and other emerging synthetic drugs. By leveraging specimens that already exist and already have initial test results, the project aims to produce timely insights into changing drug patterns without the time and expense of new specimen collection.

ONDCP is looking to take a methodology that was previously developed and used in criminal justice settings (for example, among people in pre-trial detention, on probation or parole, or participating in drug courts) and extend it into emergency department populations. The agency points to prior work in Maryland (including findings published by Dezman et al., 2020) showing that emergency department-based testing can reveal a high prevalence of fentanyl that may not be fully captured through standard testing or other surveillance systems. This grant is meant to expand beyond Maryland to a purposive sample of emergency departments in multiple locations across the United States, specifically to understand how drug detection varies by geography and by subpopulation. A key outcome is identifying which substances are being detected or missed under typical hospital testing protocols, and how those gaps might affect the reliability of existing drug trend data.

The recipient will be expected to coordinate closely with ONDCP to define the expanded test panel, including which metabolites to target beyond the traditional NIDA-5 drug classes. Just as important, the awardee must build and manage working relationships with hospital systems and emergency departments that can supply the previously collected urine specimens for re-testing. The analysis of results is intended to support best practice guidelines, encourage more standardized testing approaches where appropriate, and build both local and national capacity for substance use surveillance using emergency department data. ONDCP also signals interest in strengthening findings through supplemental validation, such as comparing testing gaps, needs, and positivity trends against other data sources, including de-identified electronic health records from hospital-treated patients, where feasible and appropriate.

This opportunity is authorized under the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act (Public Law 115-271, 21 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) and is governed by federal grant rules under 2 C.F.R. Part 200 (as adopted by ONDCP through 2 C.F.R. Part 3603). ONDCP anticipates making one award, and the funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, meaning ONDCP expects substantial involvement during the project. That involvement is described as regular consultation at least monthly, review of draft reports, and coordination with other government agencies when activities overlap.

The award ceiling is up to $200,000 for a 12-month project period, with the anticipated start in September 2022 and performance running through roughly September 2023. Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (including hospitals). The opportunity is listed under CFDA 95.007, with a funding activity category tied to law, justice, and legal services, reflecting ONDCPs broader mission and the policy-oriented purpose of the research.

• The Office of National Drug Control Policy in the law, justice and legal services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Emergency Department Substance Use Surveillance System" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 95.007.
• This funding opportunity was created on Aug 22, 2022.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 02, 2022. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $200,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.

Apply for EDSUSS 2022

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