LANSING — Michigan has received more than $16 million in federal funds to help reduce opioid use and abuse across the state, Lt. Gov. Brian Calley announced.

“The addiction epidemic continues to impact families in every community across our state and across this country,” Calley said. “Michigan is making strides in the fight against addiction, and this grant will help us bring those efforts to the next level, helping more families find the support they need to prevent and treat addiction.”

The funding was awarded to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services through the State Targeted Response to the Opioid Crisis Grant administered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The STR grant will be used to promote prevention and increase access to treatment by funding State of Michigan initiatives, including:

• The Michigan Automated Prescription System

•  Development of a statewide awareness campaign

•  Michigan-OPEN research through the University of Michigan

• Medication Assisted Treatment

•  Prevention services and strategies

•  Improving the availability of Naloxone

• Increasing peer supports, tribal supports and support of law enforcement

•  Providing a new model for re-entry services

•  Collaboration with university partners on re-entry, evaluation and research opportunities

“This is an excellent opportunity to address the rise of opioid use disorders in our state,” said Dr. Debra Pinals, MDHHS chief psychiatrist. “Through this grant, we will strengthen our networks for prevention and treatment to reduce opioid-related deaths and make treatment more available for those who need it.”

From 1999 to 2014, Michigan saw a four-fold increase in unintentional fatal drug poisonings, and the state was ranked 10th in the nation in per capita prescribing rates of opioid pain relievers in 2012.

Calley led the Prescription Drug and Opioid Abuse Task Force in 2015, which issued recommendations to address the addiction epidemic.

In 2016, Gov. Rick Snyder created the Michigan Drug and Opioid Abuse Commission to implement the task force’s recommendations to combat the opioid epidemic and ensure the health and safety of Michigan residents.

Last month, Snyder and Calley joined with a bicameral and bipartisan group of legislators to announce next legislative steps in a primary prevention strategy to better monitor controlled substances and prevent addiction from occurring in the first place.