Congressman Lou Barletta announced that local communities and health care providers can begin applying for grants to help prevent opioid overdose deaths and provide treatment for opioid addiction.

The grants were recently authorized by the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act, which Barletta helped to negotiate as a member of the joint House and Senate conference committee tasked with drafting comprehensive legislation addressing the opioid epidemic."Congress took an important step last year to combat the opioid epidemic by passing CARA," Barletta said."These grants are the result of members of both parties coming together to do what is right for our local communities and provide support for the men and women on the front lines in the fight against substance abuse."Local communities and health care providers can begin applying to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration for more than $70 million of funding over multiple years for the following grants:Medication-Assisted Treatment and Prescription Drugs Opioid Addiction: Up to $28 million to five grantees to increase access of medication-assisted treatment for opioid use. Medication-assisted treatment combines behavioral therapy and FDA-approved medication.First Responders: Up to $41.7 million over four years available to approximately 30 grantees to train and provide resources for first responders and members of other key community sectors on carrying and administering an FDA approved product for emergency treatment of known or suspected opioid overdose.Improving Access to Overdose Treatment: Up to $1 million over five years to one grantee to expand availability to overdose reversal medications in health care settings and to establish protocols to connect patients who have experienced a drug overdose with appropriate treatment.Application information is available on SAMHSA's website,

www.samhsa.gov/grants/grant-announcements-2017. Interested organizations may contact Mike Shay at Barletta's Hazleton District Office at 570-751-0050 or by email at Michael.Shay@mail.house.gov.