Opioid Abatement Board Receives 250 Letters of Intent For Grant Awards
Ponca City Now - December 12, 2023 6:16 am
OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma Opioid Abatement Board has received more than 250 letters of intent to pursue $23 million in grant awards from political subdivisions across Oklahoma.
The board today received an update on the planned applicants. Board members also voted not to accept a handful of letters from entities that did not meet eligibility requirements.
These awards will be the first such distribution for the board, which was established three years ago.
Attorney General Gentner Drummond said the grant awards will help attack the opioid crisis in Oklahoma.
“These grants will put $23 million directly into Oklahoma communities to stop the catastrophic effects of the opioid epidemic,” he said. “It is heartening to see this strong interest from Oklahoma counties, municipalities and school districts to put these funds to work all across the state.”
There were nearly 800 opioid-related deaths in Oklahoma in 2022, according to the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs. Of those, fentanyl was responsible for 619 fatal overdoses.
Letters of intent were received from 64 Oklahoma counties, representing 83 percent of the state’s counties. Additionally, 69 municipalities, 101 school districts, four career technology centers and eight public trusts submitted letters of intent.
Applications and awards are expected in 2024. Funding is through opioid lawsuit settlement funds.
