U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin Applauds Obama Administration Investment in Wisconsin's Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention Efforts

Statement

Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin applauded a federal investment from the Obama Administration in Wisconsin's prescription drug abuse and overdose prevention efforts.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has officially launched the new Prescription Drug Overdose Prevention for States program (PDO PfS) and Wisconsin will receive federal funding of $939,768 per year to advance prevention on multiple fronts.

"With this federal investment from the Obama Administration, Wisconsin will be able to execute and evaluate prevention strategies to improve safe prescribing practices and prevent prescription drug overuse, misuse, abuse, and overdose," said Senator Baldwin. "It is my hope that the Walker Administration will welcome this federal investment in our state and put it to good use to advance interventions that address our prescription drug abuse epidemic."

As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Baldwin is a strong supporter of increased funding for prescription drug abuse prevention, treatment and research programs. In March, she led a call to strengthen federal investments to combat the growing prescription drug and opioid abuse epidemic in America, including the CDC's Prevention for States program.

This new CDC initiative expands on the work of the Prevention Boost program that helps states combat the ongoing prescription drug overdose crisis. The purpose of Prevention for States is to provide state health departments with resources and support needed to advance interventions for preventing prescription drug overdoses.

Wisconsin is one of 16 states funded to scale up interventions to address and reverse the prescription drug overdose epidemic that is causing harm to individuals, families, and communities throughout the United States.

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