Drug Free Communities grant puts $4.4 million into the Arkansas fight against opioid abuse

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – A government program grant will provide funding for groups across Arkansas to fight substance use and abuse.

The Arkansas Opioid Recovery Partnership (ARORP) hosted a gathering on Thursday to honor the seven Arkansas Coalition Partnership Empowerment (COPE) who received a nearly $4.4 million grant from the Office of National Drug Control Policy under the Drug Free Communities Program.

The initial funding came from a $536,607 grant from ARORP for 13 COPE members to attend training in order to apply for the Drug Free Communities grant. Officials said that thanks to the training, over half of the grant applications were accepted, resulting in the coalition members who were successful in their grant submission becoming self-sustaining.

The grant’s target is preventing youth substance use in local counties and cities. It will provide each coalition with $125,000 annually for five years, amounting to $625,000 per coalition and bringing nearly $4.4 million directly into the state. Officials said the coalitions will also have the opportunity to apply for a second five-year funding term after the cycle ends, bringing the investment to $8.75 million.

The seven coalition members who received grant funding are:

• Prevention-Awareness-Youth-Support Coalition; Mountain Home, Baxter County
• Sebastian County Opioid Task Force; Fort Smith, Sebastian County
• Opioid Prescription Drug and Synthetics Coalition; Blytheville, Mississippi County
• Newton County Partners in Prevention Coalition; Jasper, Newton County
• Greene County Mental Health and Substance Abuse Coalition; Paragould, Green County
• Amazing Angels Coalition; Lake Village, Chicot County
• Carroll County Hometown Health Coalition; Green Forest, Carroll County

For more information about the Arkansas Opioid Recovery Partnership and the coalitions, visit ARORP.org .

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