Ten South Dakota non-profits will share nearly $8-million in grant money to help in the ongoing fight against opioid addiction in the state.
On Thursday, the South Dakota Department of Social Services announced the latest grant money awards that are part of opioid lawsuit settlements against drug companies.
The South Dakota Department of Social Services says it cast a wide net across the state in vetting organizations that will be able to help people facing opioid addiction.
“We did everything we could to make this a low threshold to show interest. We went looking for where are these true gaps and what has a way of measuring how the gap can be filled,” South Dakota Dept. of Social Services Secretary Matt Althoff said.
Sioux Falls-based Emily’s Hope found out in January it will receive $500-thousand dollars in grant money to expand its addiction prevention curriculum in K through 12 classrooms across the country.
“And this teaches kids how to protect their bodies, how to protect their brains, what substances do to their bodies and their brains and also teaches them how to deal with their emotions and pressures and we’re really just excited about it,” Emily’s Hope Founder & CEO Angela Kennecke said.