BARNSTABLE – A $350,000 investment was recently announced by Governor Maura Healey as they partner with Boston Medical Center and RIZE Massachusetts to fund and expand the Massachusetts Overdose Prevention Helpline.
Massachusetts will become the first state in the nation to fund an overdose prevention helpline which gives easily accessible and life-saving overdose detection resources.
Studies have shown that overdoses on Cape Cod have increased by noticeable amounts since the pandemic in 2020, including nearly 80 deaths in Barnstable County in 2021.
“I’ve met too many grieving families whose lives have been torn apart by overdose deaths. This trauma and heartbreak are preventable,” said Governor Healey.
“By providing people with an alternative to using alone, the Overdose Prevention Helpline saves lives. Massachusetts is committed to growing our role as a national leader in harm reduction and prevention efforts, and we will continue to do everything in our power to reduce overdoses and save lives,” Healey said.
Since its inception in 2020, the Overdose Prevention Helpline has been operated solely by volunteers.
With the investment, the helpline will be able to hire several full-time employees including a full-time operator and call center coordinator, as well as a part-time medical director, research director, data analyst, and program assistant.
The investment also includes more than $30,000 in stipends for volunteers, as well as funding for promotional efforts to increase awareness of the helpline among people who need it.
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