The Oklahoma Opioid Abatement Board has received over 250 letters from local groups for $23 million in grants meant to counteract the impacts of the opioid epidemic.
Eligible groups include counties, municipalities and public school districts. The abatement board received letters from 64 Oklahoma counties, which represent 83% of the state, according to a news release. The letters came from various entities, including:
- 69 municipalities
- 101 school districts
- Four career technology centers
- Eight public trusts
The awards can be used for things like treatment and recovery programs, opioid abuse education and prevention, and strategies to decrease narcotics supplies.
There were nearly 800 opioid-related deaths in Oklahoma in 2022, according to the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics. Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond said in the release the awards will help Oklahoma attack its opioid crisis.
“These grants will put $23 million directly into Oklahoma communities to stop the catastrophic effects of the opioid epidemic,” Drummond said in the release. “It is heartening to see this strong interest from Oklahoma counties, municipalities and school districts to put these funds to work all across the state.”
This is the first distribution of nearly $1 billion in opioid lawsuit settlement funds from the Oklahoma Opioid Abatement Board. Applications and awards are expected in 2024.
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