The federal government should allocate $25 million in grants to help fight addiction amid the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand on Thursday said. 

The money, part of a bill meant to provide support for community groups and non-profit organizations, has Republican backing in the U.S. Senate with Sen. Shelley Moore Capito signing onto the legislation. 

"The pandemic has exacerbated our country’s addiction crisis and we must bolster support services for those seeking treatment, and their families, to combat this troubling trend," Gillibrand said. 

“Equipping families with the resources they need to support loved ones battling addiction and substance use disorder is essential for recovery, especially during a pandemic that has isolated many families. Passing the Family Support Services for Addiction Act would deliver vital funding for financially strained mental health care and substance use disorder support programs and ensure resources are available to families helping people recover from substance use.”

Hospitals across New York have seen an influx in addiction treatment cases, and there are concerns among public health experts the pandemic may have reversed or stalled efforts to fight opioid abuse. 

The Centers for Disease Control found 81,000 drug overdose deaths in the United States between July 2019 and June 2020, the highest number recorded over a year-long period.