Kentucky Ag Connection - Kentucky Awarded $31.47 Million to Combat Opioid Epidemic

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Kentucky Awarded $31.47 Million to Combat Opioid Epidemic
Kentucky Ag Connection - 09/24/2018

Senator Mitch McConnell announced that Kentucky will receive $31.47 million from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of the State Opioid Response Grants Program. This program was created by the 21st Century Cures (CURES) Act that McConnell shepherded through Congress in 2016.

Earlier this year, McConnell played a key role in Congress approving $4.6 billion to continue combating this pressing crisis, which included $1 billion for the State Opioid Response Grant Program. That's the highest level of funding ever devoted to fighting the opioid crisis.

McConnell also announced that, as a result of an agreement he brokered, community health centers in the Commonwealth of Kentucky will receive nearly $5.6 million from HHS.

"The funding provided to Kentucky under this grant program is welcome news and will be put to good use in helping to fight the opioid epidemic," said McConnell, who helped shepherd the CURES Act through the Senate.

He pushed to ensure funding would be focused on states with the highest mortality rate related to opioid use disorders, such as Kentucky.

"The CURES Act is bolstering medical innovation by promoting critical investments in research and treatment development," McConnell said. "It also is putting patients first and strengthening the kind of research and treatments needed to cure the most devastating diseases."

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