The Iowa Department of Public Health has received a federal grant to expand treatment for opioid abuse across the state.
About $5.4 million will go to different communities over two years to improve treatment through medication and counseling.
Monica Wilke-Brown is project director for the grant. She says previous opportunities for providers to learn more about treating opioid abuse disorders were concentrated in just a few areas.
“And this one will allow us to make sure all those service areas that cover the state have the opportunity to plan for and implement improvements to their service provision,” Wilke-Brown says.
She says this could bring treatment options to rural communities and expand treatment where it already exists. This includes getting more doctors in rural areas certified to prescribe medication-assisted treatment.
Grant money will also go toward encouraging Iowa doctors to make use of the Prescription Monitoring Program, and promoting distribution of a drug that can reverse an opioid overdose.
