JACKSON — In May 2013, Mississippi received $3.58million in federal funding to combat opioid addiction. This funding allows the state expand access to treatment and create programs of prevention. It also provides training for healthcare professionals. Lt. Governor. Tate Reeves said that the government was taking steps to address this crisis. “Last year we passed legislation that allows any emergency responder to obtain Narcan without a prescription. Reeves stated that Narcan can help reduce deaths. Narcan is an opioid antagonist. Narcan binds to opioid receptors and reverses or blocks the effects of other opioids in the human body. The Centers for Disease Control reports that Narcan has saved nearly 27,000 lives. More than 150,000 Narcan kits have been distributed in the United States. The state was awarded a grant to allow collaboration with other state agencies, such as the Department of Public Safety and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics. Reeves stated that opioids can be addictive and it is difficult to stop using them. Reeves explained how opioids are a popular topic for legislators. Reeves said, “We established pilot mental health courts within our state.” Reeves stated that if there were jurisdictions for mental courts, it would be possible for judicial involvement in rehabilitation. In the United States, opioids were responsible in excess of 33,000 deaths in 2015. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, HHS. According to the Mississippi Department of Health (Mississippi Department of Health), high-level opioid painkillers are responsible for many accidental overdoses in Mississippi. These painkillers can be used to treat pain in the back or other parts of the body. Opioids can usually only be prescribed by a physician. Reeves stated that the prescription drug monitoring system is used to inform doctors about who is receiving opioids. Reeves stated that doctors use their prescription drug monitoring system to identify who is receiving opioids.