U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, announced last week that the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services will provide $26 million in grant funding to Ohio to help combat the opioid epidemic in the state.

Brown’s office said that the bill to secure the funding was signed into law last year, but the allocation of the financial resources had been delayed.

Brown, along with other senators, sent a letter to President Donald Trump, calling for the release of the funding.

Overdose rates have continued to rise in the state, and, with the factor of fentanyl taken into account, deaths from overdoses are spiking.

Brown’s announcement came the same week that the Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services (ADAMHS) called on Ohio Gov. John Kasich to declare the opioid epidemic a state emergency.

As local officials continue to deal with the problem, it is critical that all resources be available to fight the opioid problem in Ohio.

We applaud the efforts of Brown and others in securing these funds for the effort in the state.