Press Releases

Congressman Earl L. "Buddy" Carter (R-Ga.) today applauded the Trump administration's announcement of nearly $400 million in new grants to combat the opioid crisis. Included are critical grants to address the crisis in the First District of Georgia. 

"The opioid crisis continues to plague our nation and it could impact any person or family at any time," said Carter. "We cannot sit idly by as this epidemic takes more parents, sons, daughters, friends and neighbors. I thank the administration for continuing the important work we've done in Congress by delivering these grants to local entities today which will continue this fight on the ground. We must continue working together to end this crisis once and for all."

According to the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), more than $200 million will be awarded to 1,208 health centers across the nation to increase access to high quality, integrated behavioral health services, including the prevention or treatment of mental health conditions and/or substance use disorders, including opioid use disorder through the Integrated Behavioral Health Services (IBHS) program. Grants announced today through the IBHS program include:

• $167,000 to Coastal Community Health Services in Brunswick
• $167,000 to Curtis V. Cooper Primary Health Care in Savannah
• $167,000 to Diversity Health Center in Ludowici
• $167,000 to J.C. Lewis Health Center in Savannah
• $167,000 to McKinney Medical Center in Waycross

Additionally, HRSA’s Federal Office of Rural Health Policy is awarding more than $111 million to 96 rural organizations across 37 states as part of its Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) initiative. These funds will strengthen rural communities’ capacity to provide needed SUD prevention, treatment, and recovery services and build the evidence base for interventions that are effective in rural settings. A grant announced today through the RCORP initiative includes:

• $1,000,000 for the Georgia Partnership for Telehealth, Inc. in Blackshear

Carter has been a leader during Congressional efforts to end the opioid epidemic. Today's grant announcement is a continuation of Congress's passage of the SUPPORT Act and more than $10 billion in funding directed to fighting the epidemic in 2018.