La. clinics set to receive millions in federal funding to fight opioid crisis

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - As East Baton Rouge Parish is on track for another record year of deadly overdoses, the federal government announced a billion-dollar initiative on Friday, Sept. 23, to help states fight the opioid epidemic.

Millions of dollars in federal funding will start flowing into Louisiana and clinics across the state are already deciding how to use that money.

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The White House is handing out $1.5 of funding across the country to try to tackle the opioid crisis. More than $17 million of that will go to the Louisiana State Office of Behavioral Health.

According to the White House, the money will provide more narcan to recovery centers and expand access to recovery.

Dawn Collins is the prevention coordinator for the Capital Area Human Services in Baton Rouge. Her group is hosting a number of events and hoping to bring a sense of importance to the problem.

“One purpose and that is simply to increase knowledge and awareness that will also help people understand the urgency of the situation,” said Collins.

Officials are planning events on fighting the opioid epidemic.

More information on those will be released when it becomes available.

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