Worcester Receives the Most State Funding to Combat Heroin and Opioid Crime

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Tuesday, February 02, 2016

GoLocalWorcester News Team

Governor Charlie Baker and Lt. Governor Karyn Polito announced the release of over $2.5 million in federal grants to help District Attorneys, Sheriffs, and other criminal justice agencies strengthen and enhance their ongoing efforts to fight heroin and opioid abuse in Massachusetts. 

The Worcester County-Middle District Attorney's Office will receive $105,981 and the Worcester County Sheriff's Department will receive $189,968. 

“These grant awards are great news for families across the state that have been negatively affected by drug use in their communities. The Massachusetts State Police and the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office will now be able to purchase an additional 1,100 doses of Naloxone (Narcan), which will help to reduce the number of overdose deaths associated with prescription opioid and heroin abuse," said Lt. Governor Polito. 

The grant opportunity allows eligible state and county criminal justice agencies to solicit grant funding for services aimed at prevention, intervention, diversion, enforcement, and treatment. 

“Law enforcement is on the front lines of the opioid crisis and it’s incumbent on us to provide them with every available resource to save lives. These grants provide yet another tool for us to begin bending the trend of overdoses and deaths as we combat this epidemic," said Governor Charlie Baker. 

The awards complement the Governor's Opioid Task Force recommendations by expanding access to services for medicated-assisted treatment, development of a youth drug prevention curriculum, dissemination of educational materials as part of a public awareness campaign, treatment beds, and training for law enforcement personnel. 

Last year, governor Baker filed legislation to provide medical personnel with the power to intervene with patients suffering from addiction, control the spread of addictive prescription opioids, and increase education about substance use disorder for providers and in the community. 

Click here for more information about the Governor's Opioid Task Force. 

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Related Slideshow: #50 to #1: Doctors in Worcester That Received the Most Money from Drug Companies

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