(AP) Indiana’s drug czar presents plan to attack opioid crisis

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Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb’s new drug czar is detailing a plan to combat the state’s opioid crisis amid questions over whether it has enough funding to make a significant difference.

Former central Indiana Goodwill CEO Jim McClelland joined public health officials Thursday to present the plan.

It includes developing a network to distribute the expensive overdose-reversing drug Narcan to local communities.

The state also received a $10.9 million grant, some of which will help pay for 60 to 75 new recovery facility beds. That’s in addition to $5 million the Legislature set aside for the overall effort.

Democrats questioned whether the state is spending enough to make a real difference. They said lawmakers raised taxes for infrastructure improvements, but did comparatively little to attack Indiana’s drug problem.