$29M coming to Ohio to continue battling opioid crisis

Suboxone is one of the FDA approved drugs to treat opioid use disorder. Bill Lackey/Staff

Suboxone is one of the FDA approved drugs to treat opioid use disorder. Bill Lackey/Staff

The federal government released the second installment of State Opioid Response grants Thursday and Ohio will receive $29 million to fight the opioid epidemic.

Ohio received the first half of more than $55 million awarded through the SOR grants in 2018.

These funds will be used to expand access to addiction treatment, especially medication-assisted treatment with appropriate social supports. The Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services will distribute the funds to county addiction and mental health boards.

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The state has used some of its SOR money to host free training for medical professionals to obtain waivers so they can prescribe buprenorphine, one of the drugs in medication-assisted treatment.

“There isn’t a community in Ohio that hasn’t been touched by the addiction crisis, and we are doing all we can to fight it,” Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-OH said. “This much-needed investment will expand access to medication-assisted treatment that so many Ohioans rely on to help them in their recovery.”

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Sen. Rob Portman, R-OH, noted that Ohio is making progress in combating overdose deaths with the help of expanded treatment options.

"The State Opioid Response grant will help our state continue to lead efforts to prevent drug abuse, treat individuals who become addicted, and help people get on a path to long-term recovery," he said.

RELATED: Local overdose crisis response earns county national award

  

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