CENTERVILLE – Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey visited Centerville Elementary School on Tuesday to announce $700,000 in funding to school districts state-wide to fund two years of opioid addiction prevention programs.
Barnstable Public Schools, Monomoy Regional School District and Martha’s Vineyard Public Schools will be benefitting from the effort.
“I know that this is an issue that has hit communities hard across the state, but certainly here on the Cape, we know it’s had a particularly devastating effect,” said Healey.
Barnstable is receiving more than $19,000 for their prevention programs.
Healey has launched the Youth Opioid Prevention Grant Program, which will provide funding over two years to 25 school districts, as well as law enforcement agencies, nonprofits and community health organizations.
“To me, this is where we need to be,” said Healey. “Empowering students, giving them the tools that they need so that they’re able to make the right kinds of choices as they grow older.”
Healey held a roundtable discussion with members of the Barnstable Public School District, including Superintendent Meg Mayo-Brown, and with State Representative Will Crocker and Cape and Islands District Attorney Michael O’Keefe.
“If we can spend the amount of time and treasure to be able to teach them about the evils of opioid addiction and opioid use, I think we’ll be doing a good job,” said Crocker.
The program is being funded by settlements the AG’s office reached with CVS Pharmacy in September 2016 and with Walgreens in January.
By JUSTIN SAUNDERS, CapeCod.com Newscenter
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