Home / Health / Bloomberg Bets $150M on Six States to Fight Opioid Crisis
Bloomberg Bets $150M on Six States to Fight Opioid Crisis
25 Oct
Summary
- New $150 million investment targets six states for opioid crisis.
- Focus on prisons, ERs, and naloxone access for opioid treatment.
- Overdose deaths fell 15 percentage points more than national average.
Bloomberg Philanthropies announced a $150 million investment to further address the opioid crisis, targeting six states. This funding will enhance access to medication for opioid use disorder within correctional facilities and emergency departments. The initiative also aims to broaden the availability of naloxone and guide funds from opioid-related legal settlements toward treatment and prevention efforts.
The program prioritizes prisons and emergency departments due to the high risk of overdose deaths among incarcerated individuals and survivors of overdose incidents. By making treatments like buprenorphine readily available in these settings, the foundation seeks to provide rapid support to those most vulnerable. This latest commitment continues work in five states and introduces Washington, which has a high overdose death rate.
Since beginning its work in 2018, the foundation has invested $335 million in total. The initiative reports significant achievements, including widespread availability of medication for opioid use disorder in prisons and hospitals across several states. Overdose deaths in the foundation's focus states have fallen substantially more than the national average, indicating the program's positive impact.
