HHS Secretary Tom Price, MD, announced the U.S. government will give states $485 million to combat the country's opioid abuse epidemic this year, according to Wabe.
Here are four things to know:
1. The funds will come from the 21st Century Cures Act which passed Congress last year and was signed by President Obama.
2. Grants totaling roughly $485 million will be available to states for evident-based prevention and treatment programs. An additional $500 million in grants will be available next year.
3. According to the CDC, over 33,000 Americans died of opioid overdoses in 2015.
4. Sec. Price announced the decision Wednesday at the National Rx Drug Abuse and Heroin summit in Atlanta.
Sec. Price said, "With these grants, we want to aggressively promote evidence-based policies and best practices, but we also recognize that states know best what their communities need, and that they've already been at the forefront supporting treatment and recovery in so many ways."
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