Maine to Receive $2 Million in Grants to Fight Opioid Crisis
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — Maine is set to receive $2 million in federal funding to fight the heroin and opioid abuse crisis.
Last year 418 Mainers died from drug overdose, an 11 percent increase compared to 2016. The nation saw over 63,600 drug overdose deaths in 2016.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is awarding $485 million to states to combat drug addiction under a 2016 federal law. Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins and Independent U.S. Sen. Angus King championed the law, which released $500 million in the first round of funding last year.
States have to show their opioid programs are based on clinical evidence, which has boosted medication-assisted treatment.
Congress's recent spending bill provides another $1 billion in federal funding for states responding to the opioid crisis.