The Trump Administration, according to a recent Health and Human Services (HHS) announcement, will administer grants totaling $485 million to combat the nationwide opioid crisis – $26 million of which will be on its way to Pennsylvania.
“Through a sustained focus on people, patients, and partnerships, I am confident that together we can turn the tide on this public health crisis,” said Secretary Dr. Tom Price.
The funding, which is the first of two rounds provided for in the 21st Century Cures Act, will be provided through the State Targeted Response to the Opioid Crisis Grants administered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
The funding will be issued to all 50 states, the District of Columbia, four U.S. territories, and the free associated states of Palau and Micronesia. Funding will support a comprehensive array of prevention, treatment, and recovery services depending on the needs of recipients. States and territories were awarded funds based on rates of overdose deaths and the unmet need for opioid addiction treatment, Pennsylvania, will receive the fourth highest grant allotment, behind California, Texas, and Florida.
Price sent a letter to governors whose states are receiving grants and outlined his and the administration’s firm commitment to address the opioid crisis as each state and territory across the country works to address the significant health, social, and economic consequences.
In the letter, Price commits to continue working with governors to combat the evolving opioid crisis and to ensure federal funding supports clinically sound, effective, and efficient programs, stating:
Price outlined that while funding for the first year will be released immediately, funding afterwards will be based on what tools are working and allocating funds for that purpose. “In the coming weeks and months, I will seek your assistance to identify best practices, lessons learned, and key strategies that produce measurable results,” he said.
Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick released a statement on the grants:
“These grants aim to increase access to treatment, reduce unmet need, and reduce overdose related deaths,” said Price. “I understand the urgency of this funding; however, I also want to ensure the resources and po“From Levittown to Lower Salford, no part of my district is left unaffected. Last year in Bucks County, opioid related deaths rose by 50 percent. In neighboring Montgomery County, opioid overdoses claimed a staggering 240 lives – up 36-percent from the previous year. The fact is, our nation’s opioid crisis transcends politics, and so must our response. Any response to this challenge must treat the whole person, not just the addiction. We must focus on the underlying issues driving people to seek opioids, while increasing the accessibility and affordability for prevention, education, treatment, and recovery of this disease.”licies are properly aligned with and remain responsive to this evolving epidemic.”
