Opioids

The money at issue comes from legal settlements with companies accused of fueling the opioid crisis.

In some parts of the U.S., drug deaths have plunged to levels not seen since the fentanyl crisis exploded. Addiction experts say communities still face big challenges.

New Hampshire's judicial branch has asked the Executive Council for approval to use $6.75 million to expand its existing housing assistance program to include people with a history of opioid use disorder.

Officials are urging former patients of New England Medicine and Counseling Associates to switch to new providers as soon as possible, to avoid interruptions in care.

Like naloxone, the new drug — nalmefene — can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.

Ahead of the 2016 primary, candidates from both parties made a point of talking about addiction. This year, Republicans are largely tying the issue to China and the southern border.

Every drug-related death is supposed to be investigated with an autopsy by the medical examiner’s office. But less than half of the people in New Hampshire who died of a suspected drug overdose received an autopsy this year.

Due to staffing shortages plaguing medical examiner’s offices nationwide, New Hampshire is performing autopsies on less than half of its drug overdose deaths.

A local police department is also slated to get more than $950,000 for unspecified opioid-related expenses.

Last year, people in Coos County died of overdoses at twice the statewide rate.