South Dakota Receives $320 Million to Combat Opioid Crisis
In a push to combat the opioid crisis, the U.S. government has awarded nearly $320 million in grants to support prevention, treatment, and enforcement efforts across the country.
The funds will be distributed among various organizations, including the South Dakota Department of Health, which will receive $749,972 to strengthen its Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs.
The Lower Brule Sioux Tribe was also awarded $497,379 for an Adult Drug Court Discretionary Grant.
The grants were announced by Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who stated that the funds will be used to support the President’s comprehensive plan to end the epidemic.
The opioid crisis has had a devastating impact on communities across the country, with over 72,000 Americans losing their lives to drug overdoses in 2017, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The crisis has also had a significant economic impact, with the cost of opioid abuse estimated to be over $500 billion annually.
The U.S. government has been working to combat the opioid crisis through various initiatives, including the formation of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge, a new program to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high-impact areas.
The government has also charged over 3,000 defendants with trafficking in heroin, fentanyl, or prescription drugs in FY 2017, and has executed the largest ever health care fraud enforcement action charging more than 600 defendants.
Key Facts
- State: South Dakota
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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