Feds grant awards topping $6M to battle opioid crisis

Colorado will receive more than $6 million in federal grants to combat the opioid crisis.

Nationally, the Justice Department, as part of National Substance Abuse Prevention Month, is granting more than $320 million to combat the widespread drug problem, according to a U.S. Attorney, District of Colorado, news release.

“The unprecedented funding will directly help those most impacted by the deadliest drug crisis in American history, including victims, children, families, and first responders,” according to the news release.

In 2017, more than 72,000 Americans lost their lives to drug overdoses, an increase from the 64,000 overdose deaths in 2016, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The majority of the fatal overdoses were from opioids, including illicit fentanyl.

Among the grants awarded in Colorado:

• Colorado Judicial Department — $1,581,248 for veterans treatment courts.

• Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment — $1 million to support public safety by information sharing from a variety of public health and safety data sources.

• Boulder County — $861,569 to provide staffing and treatment resources in jail and the community.

• Colorado Judicial Department — $861,290 to enhance existing family drug courts.

• Illuminate Colorado — $749,491 to aid youth impacted by opioids.

• Longmont — $499,922 to support law enforcement officers and other first responders.

Federal prosecutors and investigators in Colorado have prioritized gathering and analyzing data to identify possible patterns of over prescribing and mass diversions of opioids.

“The Colorado U.S. Attorney’s Office is a national leader in using data to identify those in the opioid supply chain who cause the most harm to our citizens, and bringing them to justice,” U.S. Attorney Bob Troyer said.

Additionally, two national antidrug events will be held this month. Red Ribbon Week takes place every year between Oct. 23 and 31 and encourages students, parents, schools and communities to promote drugfree lifestyles. The Drug Enforcement Administration’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, on Oct. 27, aims to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing prescription drugs as a way to help prevent overdose deaths and drug addictions.

Nationally, the Drug Take Back Day has collected more than 2.7 million pounds of expired or unused prescription drugs since April 2017.