Washington's Inslee budgets $50 million to fight fentanyl crisis

Gov. Jay Inslee (D-WA) announced his plan to budget upwards of $50 million to battle the state's fentanyl crisis.

Inslee made the announcement Monday during a roundtable meeting with treatment experts and first responders, according to a report.

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The money would be added for the 2023–25 period, and recovery experts hope it will allow them to receive greatly needed resources to fight the crisis.

"We simply are seeing a drug epidemic like nothing we’ve ever seen," Evergreen Recovery Centers CEO Linda Grant said.

Grant was one of several people to speak on the importance of putting policies in place to combat the fentanyl epidemic head-on, according to the report.

"At some point, we have to move downstream and really help the people before they become users of fentanyl that once they start using, it’s very hard to reverse it," Grant said.

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If approved, the addition to Inslee's budget would provide funding for overdose prevention, access to treatment, recovery support, community health hubs, first responders, and education on the crisis, according to the report.

"When you find community health hubs to provide multiple solutions to people can really be helpful," Inslee said. "We know we have to get kids to understand the dangers of fentanyl, and we know there’s more to be done for their mental health."