Mayor Bill de Blasio has launched a plan designed to decrease the number of overdose deaths in the Bronx.
The "Bronx Action Plan" is a multimillion-dollar effort that will take a community-based approach to fighting addiction.
A total of $8 million will go toward programs in the borough that connect addicts with helpful resources. It will also help fund partnerships with community groups in an effort to reach more people struggling with addiction.
There will also be a $1 million ad campaign to highlight the dangers of opioid abuse, and an expansion of syringe clean-up events.
“There's a challenge here in the Bronx that must be addressed, and can be addressed,” said the mayor. “This is an epidemic that can be defeated.”
While overdose deaths leveled off citywide last year, the city Health Department says they increased by 9 percent in the Bronx alone.