“Oklahoma Opioid Abatement Board to Distribute $23 Million in Grants to Combat Opioid Crisis”
– The Oklahoma Opioid Abatement Board, established three years ago after settlements with opioid manufacturers, will issue up to $23 million in grants.
– Eligible entities, including Oklahoma counties, municipalities, public school districts, and technology districts, have until September 27 to submit a letter of intent for a grant.
Elaboration:
The Oklahoma Opioid Abatement Board has announced its plans to distribute up to $23 million in grants to combat the ongoing opioid crisis in the state. Attorney General Gentner Drummond made the announcement on Monday, marking the first distribution of money from the board since its establishment nearly three years ago. The grants are made possible through the Political Subdivisions Opioid Abatement Grants Act and are limited to eligible entities such as Oklahoma counties, municipalities, public school districts, and technology districts.
Applicants interested in receiving a grant have until September 27 at 5 p.m. to send a letter of intent to the board. Letters can be submitted via email to oab@oag.ok.gov or through the Oklahoma Opioid Abatement Board website. The grants can be utilized for various purposes related to addressing the opioid crisis, including treatment and recovery programs, opioid abuse education, efforts to ensure proper prescribing of opioids, and strategies to decrease the supply of narcotics.
Drummond emphasized the urgency of distributing these funds to awardees that will actively work towards countering the devastating effects of the opioid epidemic in Oklahoma. He highlighted that addiction and abuse do not discriminate and that all Oklahomans are threatened by opioids, particularly fentanyl. The attorney general stressed the importance of maximizing the available funds by directing them towards initiatives that will be most effective in addressing the crisis.
Source: www.fox23.com