Organizations hope to see federal opioid crisis funding continue

DELMARVA – Federal funding to address the opioid crisis $3.3 Billion worth since 2017 are set to run out in 2020, and local officials are concerned that progress that’s been made might be washed away.

Dr. Uday Jani, who has practiced internal medicine in Milton for two decades, says “we need to keep the pressure on.”

Jani adds that, “we have made little strides in it, but I don’t think we are at a point where the funding needs to go other places.”

The funding goes to a number of local agencies, including the county health departments.

In Wicomico County, the health department plans to open yet another resource, a 24/7 safe station, in the coming weeks with federal grant money.

“[It] allows us to be able to offer services to individuals who are seeking treatment services 24 hours a day seven days a week,” said Christina Bowie-Simpson, the opioid coordinator with the Wicomico County Health Department.

The resources offered to the public by these grants has a trickle down effect on homes that are privately funded, like the ones owned by David Baugh of Square One DE Inc.

“A lot of the people that do come in to our homes come from programs that are federally funded. And if those funds dwindle, I don’t know what’s going to happen to those programs.”

With opioid related overdoses and death numbers trending overall in the right direction, there is concern that the federal government will see this as a reason to cut the funding after 2020.

“We need to fight this thing until it doesn’t exist anymore. I know we’re never going to get there, but to at least knock it out of the ballpark of a national crisis. And until that happens, we need all the money we can get,” said Baugh.

According to the New York Times, Democrats and Republicans in congress have made recent comments signaling they want to extend this funding, but some like Senator Rob Portman from Ohio are skeptical congress will act.