Trump administration announcing nearly $2B in opioid grants

WASHINGTON – The Trump administration is awarding nearly $2 billion in grants to states and local governments to help fight the opioid crisis.

Health and Human Services Secretary Alexander Azar says the grants come from money that President Donald Trump secured from Congress last year. Trump says “nothing is more important than defeating the opioid and addiction crisis.”

The Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration is awarding $932 million to every state and some U.S. territories to help provide treatment and recovery services that meet local needs.

Separately, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is getting $900 million under a new, three-year program to help state and local governments better track overdose data. Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia are among jurisdictions sharing $301 million in the first year.