WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) today welcomed the announcement by Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar that Indiana will receive $10,925,992 to help combat the opioid epidemic. The Opioid State Targeted Response grant funding will help support evidence-based prevention, treatment, and recovery efforts at the state level.

“The opioid epidemic has devastated far too many Hoosier families. We need to explore all possible solutions to help combat this crisis and save lives,” said Senator Young. “This grant funding is welcome news in Indiana, and I will continue to advocate for the tools needed to win this fight.”

Senator Young recently introduced several bills to help tackle the opioid crisis. The Advancing Innovation in Alternative Pain and Addiction Therapies Act and the Providing Clarity in the Development of Pain Treatments Act both aim to help bring non-opioid or non-addictive pain medications and treatments to patients more quickly. The Jobs Plus Recovery Act incorporates job training into drug addiction recovery programs. The Eliminating Opioid-Related Infectious Diseases Act of 2018 addresses increased rates of infectious diseases caused by substance use disorders.

Last week, during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, Senator Young secured a commitment from the nominee for Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement, that she will make battling the opioid epidemic one of her top priorities - including fighting the illegal transport of opioids, like Fentanyl, across borders and into our country.