U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst today announced awards of over $8.6 million in grants to fight drug abuse and addiction in the Southern District of Mississippi. The grants were awarded by the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) and are part of more than $341 million going to communities nationwide.
The addiction crisis has taken an enormous toll on America’s families and communities, eroding public health, threatening public safety and claiming tens of thousands of lives year after year, said Attorney General William P. Barr. Through comprehensive measures taken by this administration, we have been able to curtail the opioid epidemic, but new and powerful drugs are presenting exceptional challenges that we must be prepared to meet.
The grants announced today will help us overcome these challenges and work towards freeing Americans from abuse and addiction.
Illegal drugs and illicit drug use have claimed the lives of nearly 400,000 Americans since the turn of the century. Powerful synthetic opioids like fentanyl are exacting an enormous toll on families and communities, and an emergence in the use of methamphetamines and other psychostimulants is drawing drug traffickers and driving up overdose rates.
The following organizations received funding in Mississippi:
The Mississippi State Department of Health – $6,000,000 under Category 2 of the Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Site-based Program.
The Harrison County Board of Supervisors – $827,963 under the Family Drug Court Program.
The County Court of Hancock County – $742,462 under the Family Drug Court Program.
The Lamar County Board of Supervisors – $599,981 under Category 1 of the Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Site-based Program.
The Mississippi Division of Public Safety Planning – $434,114 under the Residential Substance Abuse Treatment for State Prisoners Program.
Jackson County, Mississippi – $94,328 under the Adult Drug Court and Veterans Treatment Courts Discretionary Grant Program.
U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst said, I am grateful to the Office of Justice Programs for investing in our communities to help address addiction has adversely affected so many Mississippians and their families.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Office of Justice Programs. Learn more about the history of the Office of Justice Programs at www.ojp.gov.
The Office of Justice Programs’ Bureau of Justice Assistance, National Institute of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime and Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention provided the funding for the grants.
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Key Facts
- State: Mississippi
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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