The first of two rounds of funding provided by the 21st Century Cures Act to fight the ongoing opioid epidemic was released by the Department of Health and Human Services.
In a letter sent to the governors of all 50 states and U.S. territories, HHS Secretary Tom Price said the State Targeted Response to the Opioid Crisis Grants will be administered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
New Jersey is slated to receive $12,995,621 as part of the grant program.
“We cannot continue to lose our nation’s citizens to addiction,” Price wrote. “Through a sustained focus on people, patients and partnerships, I am confident that together we can turn the tides on this public health crisis.”
The letters stated that the first round of funding, $485 million, is being released to increase access to treatment and reduce unmet needs immediately, but the second round of funding will be allocated to states based on policies “that are most clinically sound, effective and efficient.”
To combat the ongoing opioid crisis, HHS has prioritized five specific strategies strengthening public health surveillance, advancing the practice of pain management, improving access to treatment and recovery services, targeting availability and distribution of overdose-reversing drugs and supporting cutting-edge research.
