Two dozen new grants for Access to Recovery -- a treatment-voucher program for people with alcohol and other drug addictions -- have been awarded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

SAMHSA awarded a total of $98 million in ATR grants, including $2 million for an evaluation of the project.

"Access to Recovery provides needed resources for people trying to conquer addiction. It gives them broader treatment options, the ability to choose the treatment they believe will help them succeed, and greater access to recovery support services," said Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt. "It's a successful embodiment of the President's goal to enable faith-based and community groups to serve more Americans across the country."

ATR-funded voucher programs currently operate in 18 states, 5 tribal areas, and the District of Columbia. Fifteen ATR grants were awarded in the previous round of funding.

New three-years grants were awarded to Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Missouri, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wisconsin, as well as the Alaska Southcentral Foundation, California Rural Indian Health Board, Inter-Tribal Council of Michigan, Inc., Montana-Wyoming Tribal Leaders Council, Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, and the District of Columbia.

Award winners were chosen from a pool of applicants that included 27 states, the District of Columbia, and 12 tribes.