Grant Targets Overdose Prevention in Hampden County

HAMPDEN COUNTY — The National Assoc. of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) provided a $500,000 grant to Hampden County for the implementation of overdose-prevention strategies across rural and urban parts of the county.

The NACCHO grant supports the work of four key partners: Gándara Center, Mercy Medical Center, Quaboag Hills Substance Use Alliance, and Northampton Drug Addiction and Recovery Team. The goals are to increase the use of harm-reduction strategies, increase access to appropriate treatment, and reduce the number of overdose deaths.

This funding builds off of the work of the Hampden County Health Improvement Plan, allowing for deeper collaborative work to be done to address substance use and opioid deaths across the county. The Public Health Institute of Western Massachusetts is providing administrative and convening support on this grant.