PROVIDENCE – Rhode Island was awarded a $3.5 million planning grant to increase the state’s treatment capacity of Medicaid providers for substance use disorder treatment and recovery services, the R.I. congressional delegation announced Wednesday.
“Rhode Island continues to make strides in combating the opioid epidemic, but we have to keep the momentum going with real resources and a comprehensive plan of action. This federal funding will help those on the front lines treat and prevent opioid addiction and enhance public health and safety,” said Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I. “This is a needed investment in improving care for people with substance use disorders.”
The grant comes from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The funds will be used to aid providers with technology support, including telemedicine and technical assistance in billing and administration. The funds will also be used to recruit and train new providers for substance use disorder and recovery services.
“The R.I. Executive Office of Health and Human Services and our member agencies are pleased to have these new resources to invest in building the capacity of Medicaid behavioral health providers,” said EOHHS Secretary Womazetta Jones. “It is a shared top priority of Gov. [Gina M.] Raimondo and EOHHS to ensure that we continue to address our opioid crisis and improve Rhode Islanders’ behavioral health services. Offering this technology and technical assistance to providers will support their critical work toward this goal.”
