PHX Reporter

PHOENIX, AZ – Rep. Ruben Gallego (AZ-03) has announced $4,703,386 in grant funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to support the Arizona Department of Health Services’ efforts to track overdoses and surveil emerging drug threats.

“Ending Arizona’s fentanyl crisis requires knowing and tracking the full scope of the epidemic," said Rep. Gallego. "With this funding, the Arizona Department of Health Services will be better equipped to study the root causes of the drug crisis and develop solutions that will save lives." 

According to the Arizona Department of Health Services, more than five people die every day from opioid overdoses in Arizona. Addressing this crisis is a top priority for Rep. Gallego.  

He recently introduced the Fentanyl Crisis Research and Evaluation Act alongside Rep. Russell Fry (R-SC). This legislation requires the Comptroller General of the United States to submit a report to Congress on how the fentanyl crisis is affecting various sectors of our society to understand its impacts on American taxpayers. 

In July, the Senate passed Rep. Gallego’s anti-fentanyl money laundering policy as part of its version of the fiscal year (FY) 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Rep. Gallego introduced the provision in the House as the Buck Stops Here Act. 

The HHS grant will allow the Arizona Department of Health Services to expand its surveillance efforts to track fatal and non-fatal overdoses, emerging drug threats, and associated risk factors and to enhance biosurveillance and data linkage. The funds will also support clinician education and training, health IT infrastructure, and public safety partnerships.  

Original source can be found here.