State Gets $10 Million To Combat Opioid Crisis

By Holliday Moore
Published: Wednesday, August 15, 2018 - 11:04am

The fight against opioid addiction just received a $10 million boost from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona on Tuesday.

The medical insurance company announced the launch of a grant program dubbed, “Mobilize AZ,” encouraging innovation, education and improved access to treatment.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Arizona saw a 20 percent increase in opioid deaths last year.

Blue Cross Blue Shield’s President and CEO Pam Kehaly spoke about what that looks like day to day.

“When I tell you that, on average, four people die every day in Arizona as a result of opioid overdose, it becomes a devastating number with a startling significance,” she said.

The Arizona Department of Health Services has reported more than 10,000 opioid overdoses in the state since June 2017, including nearly 1,600 resulting in deaths.