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Media Advisory No. 18.16 Contact: USDA Office of Communications (202) 720-4623 Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to Address Mental Health and Addiction Summit on Drug Abuse
WASHINGTON, April 8 2016 – On Tuesday, April 12, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will discuss opioids and substance abuse in rural communities at The Atlantic Magazine’s Summit on Mental Health and Addiction.
Prescription drug and heroin abuse have taken a heartbreaking toll on too many American families, while straining public resources. New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows opioids were involved in 28,648 deaths in 2014, which means more Americans are dying from drug overdoses than in motor vehicle accidents each year.
Addressing the opioid epidemic is a priority for this Administration and in January, President Obama appointed Secretary Vilsack to lead an interagency effort focused on this specific challenge. Recent efforts have helped identify effective tools to reduce drug use and overdose, including evidence-based prevention programs, prescription drug monitoring, medication-assisted treatment and the overdose reversal drug naloxone. In order to continue this progress, the President’s FY17 budget proposes $1.1 billion in new funding to ensure everyone seeking help for opioid use disorder has access to treatment.
Last month, USDA announced the availability of $1.4 million through USDA’s Rural Health and Safety Education (RHSE) grant program, which are expanding this year to support outreach to prevent opioid abuse in rural communities. And as of November 2015, USDA’s Rural Development Community Facilities programs has provided more than $213 million to 80 projects in 34 States to develop or improve mental health and substance use disorder treatment facilities in rural areas.
Tuesday, April 12, 2016 11:15 AM EDT
WHAT: Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will give remarks on opioids and substance abuse in rural communities to The Atlantic Magazine’s Summit on Mental Health and Addiction.
WHERE: 1777 F Street NW Washington, DC 20006
Those interested in attending can register here. If you are a member of the media, please contact Sydney Simon at ssimon@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx for press credentials. The Secretary’s remarks will be livestreamed here.
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