Nevada awarded $5.66 million to fight opioid abuse

The U.S. Health and Human Services Department has awarded Nevada $5.66 million to fight opioid addiction.

A spokesman said the money is the first of two rounds through the 21st Century Cures Act. Gov. Brian Sandoval said the money will provide significant resources for the battle against opioid addiction he said is a sweeping epidemic.

“Nevada is committed to working collaboratively with medical professionals, stakeholders and community advocates as we continue to tackle the significant health, social and economic consequences of prescription drug abuse,” he said.

Sandoval also pointed to the recommendations by the drug summit he and First Lady Kathleen Sandoval conducted in August 2016. Those recommendations are in part contained in AB474 that makes changes to reporting of drug overdoses and establishes protocols for providers who are prescribing controlled substances to treat pain. The plan includes funding the expansion of prevention and treatment programs, increasing access to Naloxone which can help reverse the effects of opioid overdose and providing education for prescribers of pain medicines.