Trump Administration to Award $1.8 Billion in Grants to Fight Opioid Crisis

The Trump administration has recently announced its plan to award $1.8 billion in grant funds to state and local governments in order to boost treatment and prevention efforts in the fight against the opioid crisis. President Donald Trump announced that the funding would be distributed through a pair of grant programs. Last year, the funding was secured through Congress.

“These funds will be delivered to the communities where their help is most needed,” the President said at the White House.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will receive $900 million over three years to improve tracking of opioid overdose as well as other drug-related data. Meanwhile, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration will award $932 million in state opioid response grants, appropriated by Congress through a sweeping legislation package in 2018.

The president was joined by Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar in highlighting the administration’s efforts to fight the opioid epidemic that is now being considered the worst drug crisis in US history. The administration plans to reduce the high cost of drug prescriptions, increase illegal drug seizures, raise awareness through national anti-drug campaigns, and improve reporting of opioid-related deaths.

“So many lives are stopped cold by drugs,” Trump said. “Whether it’s death or just a ruined life. In many cases you have just a ruined life because of drugs. They never recover. My administration is determined to use every resource at our disposal to smash the grip of addiction.”

The president said that the grant funding would be used to increase medication-assisted treatment and mental health services. He added that the administration was spending a “great deal of money at my request” to find a non-addictive painkiller.

The $932 million will be awarded to all 50 states and several territories, ranging in “everything from expanding the use of medication-assisted treatment in criminal justice settings, or in rural areas, via telemedicine, to youth-focused, community-based prevention efforts,” Azar told reporters.

The CDC is expected to award $301 million in the first year to 47 states, 16 local municipalities, the District of Columbia, and two U.S. territories. The drug epidemic is the cause of around 130 American deaths every day, all of which are related to opioid overdose, according to the CDC.

If someone in the family is struggling with opioid or alcohol addiction, it is important to seek help. A combination of medical detox and behavioral therapy can go a long way in the fight against drug abuse. But because every individual is affected by addiction differently, a comprehensive program tailored to their specific needs is necessary. Look for a nearby addiction treatment facility today and find out how drug treatment programs work.