Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller announced a new initiative yesterday (Thursday) aimed at helping rural communities prevent opioid addictions before they begin. The Billion Pill Pledge program extends education and resources to yet-to-be-named hospitals and providers throughout the state. Miller says, “It’s our goal with this program to extend support to rural communities, and, especially, to those within these communities who are at-risk or who have already been harmed by the opioid epidemic.” The initiative will combine education about optimal pain management practices along with various other resources to reduce the number of opioid medications left over after surgeries by a billion pills each year. This latest program joins the Iowa Attorney General Office’s September launch of IowaOpioidHelp.com, which provides support to Iowans and their families struggling with opioid use disorder. A portion of the $4.7 million allocated to the state in 2021 through the settlement reached with McKinsey & Co. for their involvement in the spread of opioid misuse is being used to fund these programs. Learn more about the Billion Pill Pledge using the links included below.
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https://www.iowaattorneygeneral.gov/newsroom/opioid-mckinsey-settlement-purdue-treatment?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery
