Indiana’s award of nearly $5M to fight substance abuse praised by Brooks

Indiana, not spared by a nationwide opioid crisis, will receive nearly $5 million in federal funding from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to tackle opioid abuse, U.S. Rep. Susan Brooks (R-IN) announced on Monday.

“Combatting an epidemic that continues to sweep through our country, hitting Hoosiers hard and taking American lives at an astonishing rate, requires attention on all fronts,” said Brooks, a member of the House Energy and Commerce’s Health Subcommittee.

“This new funding will support programs that are committed to providing Hoosiers struggling with drug addictions the resources they need in order to overcome their addictions,” she added.

The state will be awarded $3.6 million for health centers throughout Indiana to target mental health problems. The state will also receive $1.7 million to support prevention and treatment of substance abuse and recovery efforts.

“It also further supports our brave first responders who are often first on the scene where dangerous, even deadly substances are present, so they have the proper training to safely administer emergency treatment to individuals who have suffered from an overdose,” Brooks said.

According to the Indiana State Department of Health, drug overdose deaths involving opioids in Indiana totaled 2,322 between 2010 and 2015.

Brooks praised President Donald Trump’s efforts to combat the opioid crisis after he declared this week “Prescription Opioid and Heroin Epidemic Awareness Week.”

The White House Opioid and Drug Abuse Commission recently announced it would work to speed up development of non-opioid pain medicine.

On average, nearly 100 Americans die each day from opioid overdoses, the White House said.