Malden Awarded $435,900 in Grant Funding to Combat Substance Abuse

Malden’s state legislative delegation, including Senator Jason Lewis and Representatives Paul Donato, Paul Brodeur, and Steve Ultrino, is pleased to announce that the City of Malden has been awarded over $400,000 in state grant funding through the Department of Public Health to combat substance abuse.

Malden will receive $85,000 per year for five years, totaling $425,000, under the Strategic Prevention Framework Partnership for Success 2015 (SPF-PFS) programs for prescription drug misuse prevention activities.  Funding for the SPF-PFS program is provided by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).  The goal of the program is to implement evidence-based prevention programs, policies, and practices to reduce prescription drug misuse among persons aged 12 to 25 years old in high-need communities.

Malden first responders will also receive $10,900 from the Department of Public Health to facilitate the purchasing, carrying, and administering of the opioid overdose reversal drug naloxone.

“Combating substance abuse and addiction continues to be one of my highest priorities as a legislator,” said Senator Jason Lewis.  “With opioid abuse in particular continuing to be a scourge in our communities, I’m very pleased that Malden will have access to this important grant funding to strengthen public health and public safety.”

“As we all know, the opioid epidemic continues to be a major concern in every city and town in the Commonwealth,” said Representative Paul J. Donato.  “This grant will provide resources for Malden to combat substance abuse.”

“We now know that many sufferers of opioid abuse begin with a prescription painkiller addiction and then later transition to less expensive and more dangerous substances,” Representative Paul Brodeur said.  “I am pleased that this funding will enable us to tackle this dynamic head-on by utilizing evidence-based approaches to provide preventative education, meaningful interventions, and pathways to recovery for our Malden community.”

“This funding is just one piece of our efforts to address the opioid epidemic and substance abuse issues,” said Representative Steve Ultrino. “With these grants, Malden will be better equipped to combat this major public health issue.”