WASHINGTON — Maine is set to receive federal funds to fight its opioid crisis.
The $2.3 million in grant money, being awarded to the state by the federal Health and Human Services Department (HHS), was jointly announced Thursday by Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King.
It's part of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA)'s State Opioid Response grant program, which aims to address the crisis by increasing medication-assisted treatment.
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So far, HHS has delivered $500 million of the $1.5 billion available through the SAMSHA state program. The rest will be released in September.
"No community is immune from this heartbreaking epidemic that has taken a toll on far too many of our peers, friends, and neighbors," Sens. Collins and King said. "This important funding continues Maine’s efforts to fight the opioid crisis by expanding access to treatment and recovery support services."
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Funding for the program originated with the 21st Century Cures Act.
Overdoses claimed the life of more than one Mainer per day in 2017. The year prior, there were more than 63,600 overdose deaths reported nationwide.
