Aetna Foundation fights opioid epidemic in Florida

Yesterday, members of Congress joined the Aetna Foundation and the Florida Alcohol and Drug Abuse Association (FADAA) and the Florida Hospital Association to announce a $1 million grant to fight the opioid epidemic across the state of Florida. Representative Stephanie Murphy gave remarks and was joined by staff members Rep. Gus Bilirakis and Sen. Ben Nelson.

The grant from the Aetna Foundation will help FADAA grow existing programs aimed at providing support for those impacted by opioid abuse when they need it most. The programs include:

All in for Florida: The ER Intervention Project - Conducted in collaboration with the Florida Hospital Association and the Florida College of Emergency Physicians, this program aims to strengthen connections between hospital systems and community-based behavioral health programs, specifically focused on supporting people who end up in Emergency Departments due to an opioid overdose.

All in for Florida: A Recovery Project - Working with the Peer Support Coalition of Florida Initiative, FADAA will build stronger connections for individuals recovering from addiction, such as behavioral health and addiction treatment providers; employment and housing support services; community recovery leaders and community-based organizations, including volunteer groups; and select state agencies.

Florida is one of the hardest-hit states in the nationwide opioid crisis. Across the state, there is one opioid overdose death every 2.5 hours.

“In 2016, there were more than 5,700 opioid-related deaths in Florida,” said Rep. Stephanie Murphy. “Behind every abstract statistic lies a shattered human life, a brokenhearted family, a distraught community, and a spiritually and economically diminished nation.”

“With Aetna’s support, the Florida Hospital Association and FADAA members will collaborate to ensure our patients are safely discharged into the program best suited to serve their individual needs,” said Bruce Rueben, CEO of the Florida Hospital Association. “Together, our efforts will save lives and improve health across Florida.”

The $1 million grant is part of a larger, $6 million commitment by the Aetna Foundation to combat the opioid epidemic across the U.S. The Foundation will be announcing grants to other organizations in additional states over the next several months. Through this work, the Foundation hopes to empower organizations and government agencies in the states most impacted by opioid abuse.