WASHINGTON, DC - As part of the 21st Century Cures Act, HHS announced today the first round of grants to help states and territories combat the opioid epidemic. The $485 million in grants will be administered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), and be used toward the prevention of opioid abuse and treatment to those affected.
“The opioid crisis has hit every community and knows no bounds. Combating the epidemic requires an all-hands-on-deck approach, and these critical dollars will play an important role in that effort," said Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR), Health Subcommittee Chairman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX), and Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Chairman Tim Murphy (R-PA). “American families have been devastated by this epidemic, and we’re encouraged by the Trump administration’s renewed focus to tackle this crisis head-on."
The Energy and Commerce Committee has led the charge in responding to the epidemic. In addition to the state grants within the 21st Century Cures Act, committee investigations also led to legislative solutions that ultimately were included in the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA).
The committee continues to look at all aspects of the opioid epidemic, most recently holding a hearing examining the federal government’s response to fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that is 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine.
