Center for Family Medicine Awarded $750,000 State Opioid Settlement Grant to Expand Training

The Center for Family Medicine (CFM) has been awarded  $750,000 as part of South Dakota’s 2026 opioid settlement distribution, funding clinical training  programs dedicated to addiction medicine within primary care settings. The award is part of a  $7.8 million statewide grant allocation spanning 10 organizations, with individual grants in this  round ranging from roughly $100,000 to $3,000,000. 

CFM’s $750,000 award places it near the upper tier of the funded projects, reflecting the state’s  prioritization of programs that address critical workforce gaps. Unlike smaller rapid-cycle grants,  this “transformative” grant is designed to create structural improvements in healthcare capacity  rather than provide routine program support. 

South Dakota has identified a statewide shortage of addiction-trained primary care providers,  with only one established clinical training program in the state. The grant will allow CFM to  expand training for primary care clinicians in addiction medicine, a high-leverage investment  that strengthens the long-term capacity of the state’s healthcare system, including in rural areas. 

“This funding emphasizes the critical role of primary care in community health and the addiction  treatment landscape,” said Director of Behavioral Health Aaron Bergman, PhD. “Investing in  primary care treatment, training, and education represents a critically important and efficient use  of resources to improve the wellbeing of South Dakotans and all those so ravaged by the scourge  of the opioid epidemic."  

The state emphasized that these grants are targeted toward “identified gaps” and support system level improvements. CFM’s award aligns closely with these criteria, focusing on workforce  development rather than direct service expansion, making it one of the few upstream, education focused investments in the statewide portfolio.