State Granted $11.7 Million to View Major Health Risks

The federal government is giving Indiana $11.7 million over five years to come up with a strategic plan to tackle the state’s major health risks, especially substance abuse, the governor’s office announced Monday.

Four other states received similar grants this year and 19 received them last year. Indiana applied in 2004 and then revamped the application this year to add a focus on public health and preventing the use of methamphetamine.

The first step of the grant will be a yearlong study, managed by the Indiana State Department of Health, to determine the major public health issues statewide.

Once that’s completed, local communities will be able to apply for some of the funds to set up local strategic plans.

Gov. Mitch Daniels said the grants will mirror the priorities set by his office such as ridding the state of meth, cutting smoking rates and tackling obesity.

Getting funding for substance abuse prevention is sometimes a hard sell because officials often focus more on cracking down on existing drug problems, according to Charles G. Curie, administration of the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

“When you push back on the drug problem, it really does work,” Curie said.