Congressman Seth Moulton, Local Leaders Announce Federal Grants Awarded to North Shore, Lynn Health Centers to Combat Opioid Addiction

Salem, MA – Today, Congressman Seth Moulton (D-MA) announced federal grants awarded in the Sixth District to combat the prescription opioid addiction crisis facing our communities. Surrounded by local leaders and public health experts, Moulton announced that federal grant money totalling $677,083 has been awarded to the North Shore Community Health Center and the Lynn Community Health Center. The health centers based in Salem and Lynn are among 271 centers across the country to receive grant money from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to combat the opioid epidemic.

 

“Opioid addiction is a crisis that touches almost every community in America,” said Moulton. “We need a proactive and coordinated strategy that brings together law enforcement, the medical community, government, and community leaders. In Washington, I see the opportunity for genuine bipartisan cooperation on this issue, and I am working with my Democrat and Republican colleagues to give medical and law enforcement professionals the tools they need to end this epidemic. Addiction is a debilitating and treatable disease, and it is time our laws reflected that.”

 

These HHS grants aim to improve and expand the delivery of substance abuse services in health centers, with a specific focus on treatment of opioid use disorders. The Lynn Community Health Center received $325,000 and the North Shore Community Health Center, with sites in Gloucester, Salem, and Peabody, received $352,083. Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll, Rep. Paul Tucker (D-Salem), and the directors of the North Shore Community Health Center and Lynn Community Health Center joined Moulton for the announcement.

 

"The opioid epidemic is cutting lives short, tearing families apart, and draining the resources our law enforcement and health care professionals have to treat addiction,” said Moulton. “I am grateful to the Department of Health and Human Services for awarding these resources to support the North Shore and Lynn Community health centers here in the Sixth District. Our health care professionals play a major role in combatting this problem, and we must ensure that they are equipped with adequate resources. These grants are a key example of how the federal government can support local leaders who are saving lives and supporting recovery.”

 

Margaret A. Brennan, Director of the North Shore Community Health Center, joined Moulton for the announcement. “Gloucester is one of the hardest hit communities in the opioid epidemic currently raging in Massachusetts,” said Brennan. “Unfortunately, this has been the case for many years. The community is united and committed to doing whatever it takes to save lives. NSCH is very pleased to get this support from HRSA to expand our primary care based substance abuse treatment work in Gloucester."

 

Lori Abrams Berry, Chief Executive Officer of the Lynn Community Health Center, also spoke about the growing crisis. “Overdoses have reached a crisis level in our community. Last year, there were 54 opioid-related deaths in Lynn, 6% of those in the entire state of Massachusetts,” said Abrams Berry. “This funding will enable the Lynn Community Health Center to expand the number of people we can serve through our Integrated Primary Care, Behavioral Health and Addictions Treatment Program. Our comprehensive, coordinated, and community-based approach combines the use of Suboxone with individual and group therapy, and social services support—all within the context of primary care. Our aim is to ensure that any person in our community who wants to stop using opiates can access treatment at the time they are ready and motivated for change.”

 

Moulton, a member of the Bipartisan Taskforce to Combat the Heroin Epidemic, discussed legislation he is working on with his colleagues in Congress, including H.R. 953, The Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act, H.R. 4499, The Promoting Responsible Opioid Prescribing Act of 2016, and H.R. 3713, The Sentencing Reform Act of 2015.

 

To learn more about Congressman Seth Moulton visit https://moulton.house.gov or find the Congressman on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

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