April 20, 2017

Manchin and Capito Applaud HHS Funding to Combat Opioid Epidemic in West Virginia

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) applauded the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announcement that $5,881,983 in opioid crisis grants will be awarded to West Virginia. Funding will support prevention, treatment and recovery services.

HHS Secretary Tom Price announced the grants as part of the Trump administration’s efforts to combat the opioid epidemic in America. The grants will be awarded to all 50 states and total $485 million. This announcement marks the first of two rounds of funding made possible by the 21st Century Cures Act, which passed the Senate on a 94-5 vote in December and was signed into law shortly after. A key provision of the bipartisan bill is the significant funding provided to prevent and treat opioid addiction

“The funding provided for by the 21st Century Cures Act will ensure that West Virginians have access to comprehensive treatment options including prevention and addiction recovery throughout the state,” Senator Manchin said. “This will continue to move our country and our state in the right direction and gets us closer to ending the opioid epidemic once and for all. I’d like to thank Secretary Price for recognizing West Virginia’s need for this important funding and quickly administering funding to support West Virginians on the front lines helping families and communities struggling with opioid addiction.”

"I applaud the president and Secretary Price for providing the resources I advocated for in the 21st Century Cures Act toward combating the opioid epidemic. This is an important step, but one of many we must take. The priorities the secretary outlined are welcomed and needed. I agree with him that every effort and available resource should be at our disposal to fight this scourge that is harming so many West Virginians,” said Senator Capito.

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