(Washington, D.C., June 8, 2018) – Following the release of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) Stop Youth Opioid Abuse public service announcement campaign, Assistant to the Secretary for Rural Development Anne Hazlett issued the following statement:
“Leaving no community untouched, the opioid epidemic has taken a monumental toll on many of the small towns and rural places that are the heartbeat of our country. The campaign to Stop Youth Opioid Abuse shows that at the root of this crisis, addiction is a disease driving good people to make shocking and destructive decisions. Addressing the opioid epidemic is a top priority for this Administration. With that leadership, USDA is committed to being a strong partner to rural leaders in building healthy, resilient and prosperous communities now and for generations to come.”
At the direction of President Trump, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has been keenly focused on addressing the opioid crisis in rural communities. So far, the Department has been convening regional roundtables to hear firsthand accounts of the impact of the crisis and effective strategies for response in rural communities; launched an interactive webpage on opioid misuse in rural America featuring resources for rural communities and individuals facing the crisis; and prioritized investments in two key grant programs to address the crisis in rural places. For more information about these efforts, visit the USDA rural opioid misuse webpage at www.usda.gov/opioids.
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