The federal government has announced it will distribute $53 million dollars to 44 states and four tribes to help fight opioid addiction, reports The Rural Blog.
The Department of Health and Human Services said the money will go “to improve access to treatment for opioid use disorders, reduce opioid-related deaths and strengthen drug-misuse prevention efforts.” Funds will also be put toward efforts to collect better data around opioid misuse and overdose, as well as better tracking of fatal and nonfatal opioid-involved overdoses.
Kana Enomoto is the federal government’s Principal Deputy Administrator for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. She says the use of heroin has had a devastating impact on individuals, families and communities across the U.S. She hopes the funds will help prevent overdose deaths and ensure that people with opioid use disorders are able to receive vital treatment.