Kentucky is getting more federal help in the fight against overdoses.

Kentucky will use a $37 million federal grant to increase access to prevention, treatment and recovery services.

Some of the money will be used to buy more Narcan and a brand of Naloxone that is used to reverse the effects of opioid overdoses.

It is a drug that has saved thousands of lives in the past.

In our fiscal year 2024, 110,002 dose units of naloxone were given individuals, and we received reports that 5500 overdoses were reversed.

And that's just what was reported to us, that the number is likely much higher than that.

That's not just a number.

We need to remember that that represents 5500 lives saved, 5500 more opportunities for individuals to find healing and recovery.

And so it's always important for us to to put numbers in the context that they are people.

And as the governor said, they're someone's loved one child, spouse, brother, sister.

And so we never need to forget that.

And here's some reaction from Eric Friedlander, a secretary of the cabinet for Health and Family Services.

Quote, We are grateful for the continued investment from our federal partners in addressing the overdose crisis in Kentucky.

This grant ensures we can continue implementing programs that save lives.

From this work, we see that treatment works and recovery is possible, unquote.