Nevada awarded $5 million to continue fight against opioid abuse

CARSON CITY — Governor Brian Sandoval announced Thursday that Nevada will receive a $5,663,328 grant to combat opioid addiction. The funding, which is the first of two rounds provided for the 21st Century Cures Act, will be provided through the State Targeted Response to the Opioid Crisis Grants administered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

The governor received noticed from U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price, M.D. that Nevada would receive the funding.

“I would like to thank the Trump Administration, specifically Secretary Price and the members of our federal delegation who supported the 21st Century Cures Act. This funding will provide significant resources aimed at combating the opioid crisis, a sweeping epidemic which is hurting families across Nevada and our nation,” said Gov. Sandoval. “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.”

During the 2015 Nevada legislative session, Sandoval signed into law Senate Bill (SB) 459, a bill that reduces potential criminal penalties for people who report drug overdoses and also makes it easier for people to access the non-addictive drug Naloxone which can help reverse opioid overdoses.

The bill also requires doctors to do more to monitor a patient’s prescription history. And, in August 2016, Governor Sandoval and First Lady Kathleen Sandoval convened a drug abuse Summit in Las Vegas with approximately 500 stakeholders and interested individuals with the focus on continued policy changes regarding prescription drug abuse prevention in Nevada.

The drug abuse Summit developed a blueprint to combat opioid abuse in Nevada which includes Assembly Bill (AB) 474, first presented to the 2017 Nevada Assembly Committee on Health and Human Services on April 3, 2017. The bill makes various changes relating to reporting of drug overdoses and establishes prescribing protocols for all health care providers that are prescribing controlled substances for the treatment of pain.

“We are excited about the potential of AB 474 and the Prescribe 365 initiative contained within the bill,” said Dr. John DiMuro, Chief Medical Officer for the State of Nevada. “The Prescribe 365 initiative is a unique solution to the prescription drug crisis and serves as a rational, common sense approach to prescription drug prescribing while not restricting the prescriber in any way. We feel this program will serve as the standard for future prescription regulation.”

“The State Targeted Response to the Opioid Crisis Grant will be used to take action on many of the recommendations from the Governor’s Opioid Summit in 2016,” said Dr. Stephanie Woodard, Senior Advisor on Behavioral Health for the State of Nevada Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public and Behavioral Health Bureau of Behavioral Health, Prevention, and Wellness. “Among the priorities for funding are the expansion of prevention and treatment programs, increase access to Naloxone to reduce overdose deaths, and education for prescribers on the implementation of medication assisted treatment and Prescribe 365 in AB474. The opioid epidemic continues to impact Nevadans every community. This grant funding is an invaluable opportunity to “turn the tide” and save lives.”

Nevada was awarded funds based on rates of overdose deaths and unmet need for opioid addiction treatment.