Osten Welcomes Funding for Norwich to Prevent Underage Drinking and Prescription Drug Use

NORWICH, CT – State Senator Cathy Osten (D-Sprague) welcomed news Tuesday that Norwich was named as one of eight communities in the state to receive funding meant to bolster efforts to prevent underage drinking and prescription drug abuse.

“Young people are paying attention, and know about the current opioid crisis. But like many people who become addicted to or abuse medication and alcohol, the ‘that won’t happen to me’ mentality is still pervasive," Osten said in a release. "This funding will support critical programs to keep young people from falling into that trap, and to help them get out if they are already suffering from addiction. If it hasn’t happened already, there will come a day when our kids have to make a choice about whether to drink or take a prescription pill. We need to have gotten to them first with education, to prevent what could become a deadly outcome."

The City of Norwich Human Services will receive $138,000 from the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS). The department will award over $6 million to eight communities in total to prevent underage drinking and prescription drug use.

The funds come from a competitive grant awarded to the state by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

Connecticut was awarded $8.2 million to implement the Partnership for Success Grant by funding community agencies in medium and large-sized urban areas that demonstrate a need to utilize strategies known to be effective in reducing youth alcohol and prescription drug use rates.

The eight communities were selected through a competitive process based on their ability to address youth alcohol and prescription drug abuse or misuse with a focus reducing health disparities.

Norwich Human Services will also receive training and technical assistance from existing state resources to strengthen their prevention services by implementing SAMHSA’s Strategic Prevention Framework.

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