CHICAGO (October 24, 2024) - The American Hospital Association (AHA) today announced it has been awarded nearly $1.5 million in funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as part of its National Partners Cooperative Agreement. This funding will support hospitals and health systems in their efforts to address opioid use disorder (OUD) and stimulant use disorder (StUD) and infection prevention and control.

The CDC funding will allow the Health Research & Educational Trust (HRET), an affiliate of the AHA, to lead opioid use disorder initiatives in three key clinical settings: primary care clinics, hospitals during discharge and transitions, and pharmacies. The project aims to enhance patient access to care and support long-term recovery efforts.

"The opioid crisis remains a significant public health challenge," said Chris DeRienzo, M.D., chief physician executive of the AHA and president of HRET. "This funding strengthens the vital link between patients and lifesaving treatments and provides critical support to hospitals and health systems in building the infrastructure necessary for a healthier future."

The funding also supports work to enhance existing efforts on infection prevention and control (IPC). Specifically, it will extend the Living Learning Network (LLN), a virtual community of over 1,200 members focused on peer learning in areas such as patient safety, sepsis and health equity.

Finally, part of this new grant funding will be designated for specific work at rural hospitals. It will build on previous CDC work and establish a Rural IPC Community of Practice to foster collaboration and develop tailored IPC metrics for rural settings.

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About the American Hospital Association (AHA)
The American Hospital Association (AHA) is a not-for-profit association of health care provider organizations and individuals that are committed to the health improvement of their communities. The AHA advocates on behalf of our nearly 5,000 member hospitals, health systems and other health care organizations, our clinician partners - including more than 270,000 affiliated physicians, 2 million nurses and other caregivers - and the 43,000 health care leaders who belong to our professional membership groups. Founded in 1898, the AHA provides insight and education for health care leaders and is a source of information on health care issues and trends. For more information, visit the AHA website at www.aha.org.