Over the past two months, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and the Opioid Task Force have worked to create recommendations on how best to address the increasing number of fatal opioid overdoses in Massachusetts.

On Tuesday, June 10, 2014 the Task Force presented their final recommendations to Governor Deval Patrick.  The recommendations include increasing access to treatment services, with the Department of Public Health creating a real-time inventory system to track open treatment slots.  

It also recommends a public health awareness campaign and encourage collaboration between the governor and medical boards in order to ensure safe prescribing practices.

For more information on the Opioid Task Force's findings, view a news article covering the release or view the full text of the report.

Gosnold on Cape Cod has announced the creation of a new division focused on prevention. The new division has been awarded a $425,000 three year from the Peter and Elizabeth C. Tower Foundation to help support the effort.

The Tower Foundation grant will provide funding for five school counselors for one year, and partial funding for ten counselors for years two and three.  The counselors will be in elementary, middle and high schools throughout Cape Cod to help students and their families affected by substance abuse.

The program aims to guide, encourage, and motivate students who abstain from using drugs or alcohol to build a school culture that honors and celebrates their commitment.  Read more...

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health and Bureau of Substance Abuse Services published an epidemiological profile of substance abuse in Massachusetts.  Though it is not currently published online, it is available for use and sharing.

The purpose of this report is to provide an overview of substance abuse and related behavioral health issues among the population of Massachusetts.  

Due to the complexity of the issue, efforts were made to include several indicators pertaining to a variety of contexts and across the lifespan including consumption, consequences, contributing factors, crime rates, mental health, suicide and co-occurring disorders, and treatment admissions.

Featuring presentations by Stuart Gitlow, President of the American Society of Addiction Medicine, and Bertha Madras, PhD of Harvard Medical School, this forum considered medical marijuana, new opiates, and their impact for health care providers, educators, law enforcement, treatment efforts, and all of us.  

The forum is now available for viewing in its entirety online.