Biden Administration Announces $1.5 Billion to Address Addiction and the Opioid Crisis

As part of National Recovery Month, the Biden Administration announced it is awarding $1.5 billion for all states and territories to address addiction and the opioid crisis.

The funds will go toward treating substance use disorders and removing barriers to key tools like the opioid overdose antidote naloxone, Reuters reports. According to a White House fact sheet, the funding will also allow states to increase investments in overdose education, implement more peer support specialists in emergency departments and allow states to invest in other strategies that will help save lives in hard-hit communities.

The White House also announced that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued guidance intended to ease restrictions on naloxone. In a news release, the FDA said, “Entities such as harm reduction programs help save lives by making naloxone available in underserved communities. The agency intends to stand by these efforts by supporting harm reduction groups’ ability to acquire FDA-approved naloxone products.”