The federal government has awarded a rural southeast Montana health care center almost $2 million to address regional opioid-related overdose risks.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced Thursday the funding is being awarded to Hardin’s Bighorn Valley Health Center. The program, also called One Health Bighorn, offers primary care services in Hardin, Ashland, Colstrip, Lewistown, Miles City, Chinook and Harlem.
The money will be used to help distribute overdose reversal medications, prevent, treat and care for opioid exposed infants and to expand access to medications to treat opioid use disorder.
According to the Montana Department of Justice, the State Crime Lab last year reported77 overdose deaths involving fentanyl. That’s an increase of over 1,700 from 2017 when there were just four.
According to preliminary data, there were 48 fentanyl-related fatal overdoses during the first half of this year.
