Justice Department Allots Additional US$70 Million To Battle Opioid Crisis

In tandem with President Trump's signing of H.R. 6, (now former) US Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced new Department of Justice (DOJ) funding awards aimed at curbing drug trafficking and supporting youth impacted by America's opioid epidemic.

At DOJ's first-ever National Opioid Summit, Sessions and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein highlighted sustained federal law enforcement efforts to combat opioid abuse and related substance issues. DOJ's nearly US$70 million investment, which closely follows the recent announcement of nearly US$320 million in grant funding by its Office of Justice Programs, is expected to bolster a variety of department divisions and initiatives. Specific disbursements include:

US$34.6 million for the Office of Victims of Crime and Bureau of Justice Assistance, which funded 41 victim service sites and a technical assistance provider for the purpose of expanding services to children affected by the opioid crisis US$27.8 million for the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Office's Anti-Heroin Task Force Program, which funded 17 state law enforcement agencies to better probe the illicit distribution of heroin and prescription opioids US$7.2 million for the COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program (CAMP)...