Prescription opioid pain pills are shown in this file photo. Virginia officials approved more than $545,000 in opioid settlement grants in January to support local treatment, recovery and prevention programs. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)
A committee of the Virginia Opioid Abatement Authority approved more than half a million dollars in new grants this month, directing settlement funds to five localities for programs aimed at reducing opioid use, expanding access to treatment and strengthening community-based responses to addiction and overdoses.
At a Jan. 20 meeting, the committee approved $545,429 in awards to Clarke, Franklin, Henrico and Patrick counties and the city of Fairfax. The grants will support a mix of new initiatives and expansions of existing programs, funded through Virginia’s share of national opioid settlements with manufacturers, distributors and retailers…