Contact: Rep. John Nygren, (888) 534-0089

Madison — The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) announced four $250,000 grant awards to support the expansion of medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder. Rep. John Nygren, Co-Chair of the Governor’s Task Force on Opioid Abuse, released the following statement regarding the announcement:

“In January 2017 the Task Force released a report of recommendations the Governor and Legislature could take to further our work on the opioid epidemic. Included in the report was a recommendation to utilize federal grant funds to expand the use of FDA approved medications. Governor Walker issued Executive Order #229 which directed DHS to apply for the federal funds.”

“Research has shown medication-assisted treatment to be the most effective way to treat opioid use disorder. These grants are another tool in the toolbox for our communities to fight back against this epidemic. I’d like to thank Gov. Walker and DHS Secretary Linda Seemeyer for their support and work on this initiative.”

Four grants of $250,000 each will be awarded to Milwaukee County, Forest County Potawatomi Community, Southwestern Wisconsin Community Action Program, and Tellurian.

Since its creation, the Governor’s Task Force on Opioid Abuse has passed more than 30 pieces of legislation aimed at ending the opioid epidemic. For more information on the Task Force and Rep. Nygren’s work on the opioid epidemic, please visit http://legis.wisconsin.gov/assembly/hope.

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