After President Obama announced the addiction treatment services package extension for the heroin epidemic, it’s time to see the budgets that are going to be allocated to the different states. With a budget proposal of $1.1 billion, Michael Botticelli, the director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, said that the budget distribution to each state is based on the gap between people who needs treatment but can’t get it as well as on the number of overdose deaths in 2014. On the contrary to what may have been expected, the allocations are not based on people per-capita.
The money each state is able to allocate will be distributed for a two-year time frame and should be used mainly to decrease the treatment costs, especially for the under-insured and the uninsured.
The final amount to treat the opioid and heroin epidemic is still going to be determined by Congress, and each state will need to present their own drug and alcohol treatment plans.
According to what we know so far, there are already several states that are preparing to show their numbers in the Congress.
Colorado
Colorado’s proposal will be to receive $13 million in a two years time frame. According to the Bridge Awareness Counseling Center in Colorado Springs executive director, Charles Darr, the opioid problem has been increasing in the last years. One of the major problems in this state is the high-cost of opioid and painkiller medications. And when people just can’t afford it, they turn to heroin to help them.
Between 2010 and 2014, Pueblo ad El Paso counties have seen, according to the CDC, the highest number of deaths due to drug poisoning.
Delaware
According to the White House data, Delaware is ranked ninth for its drug poisoning death rate in 2014 and it may get up to $4 million, over the next 2 years.
Delaware has already started implementing some related services like medication-assisted treatment, which includes the use of suboxone or methadone to help with the withdrawal symptoms. However, they aren’t able to get to the entire population, and the federal funds are going to allow it.
Ohio
Ohio has the fifth-highest rate of deaths by overdose, which represents more than double of the national average. So, Ohio state should be able to get $45 million in a two-year time frame to start implementing Obama’s program to fight the opioid and heroin epidemic.
Alaska
Alaska is currently ranked in the 20th position in what concerns to the drug poisoning death rates. Alaska should get up to $4 million to increase people’s access to opioid addiction treatments.
As soon as the addiction treatment services package is approved by Congress, we should be able to know exactly how much each state is going to get.