Anne Hazlett, the USDA Assistant to the Secretary for Rural Development, announced that the agency has formalized an agreement to aid rural Americans in fighting the opioid epidemic. A nonprofit organization will purchase homes from the Department and convert them to transitional housing for people recovering from opioid misuse.
“From the quality of life to workforce and economic opportunity, the opioid crisis is impacting rural prosperity in communities across our country,” Hazlett says. “Under the leadership of President Trump, we are committed at USDA to building innovative partnerships and driving greater collaboration of rural partners to address the crisis at the local level.”
Isaiah House is the nonprofit that provides residential and outpatient treatment services. Misuse of prescription opioids is a major public health challenge facing rural communities across America. The Centers for Disease Control reported in October 2017 that death rates from drug overdoses in rural areas have now surpassed drug overdose rates in urban areas. For rural communities that are struggling to attract new businesses, or even maintaining existing ones, opioid abuse can have an enormous impact on the quality of life and economic prosperity.
Source: National Association of Farm Broadcasting News Service.