CDC announces state funding to address opioid epidemic

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this week will award 20 states and the District of Columbia a portion of $7.5 million to help track and prevent opioid-related overdoses, the agency announced yesterday. The states are Alaska, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia and Washington. CDC said it also will award eight states a part of $4.8 million this week to enhance prescription drug monitoring programs and implement and evaluate strategies to improve opioid prescribing practices: Arizona, Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, North Carolina and West Virginia.