Middlesex Sherriff's Office Receives $140k Grant for Drug Crime Reduction

By JOE LIPOVICH (Patch Staff)

North Reading, MA—The Middlesex County Sheriff’s Office just received some added ammunition in its battle against heroin and opioid-related crime.

Sheriff Peter Koutoujian announced Monday that his office received a grant of $140,000 from the Heroin and Opioid Crime Reduction State Initiative. Funds will go towards the expansion of the MATADOR (Medically Assisted Treatment and Directed Opioid Rehabilitation) program.

“I want to thank Governor Baker and the Administration for their continued support of law enforcement efforts to address the opioid crisis,” said Koutoujian. “Sheriff’s Offices are on the front lines of this epidemic every day – we’re constantly innovating in an effort to save lives – and this grant will help us support our nationally recognized addiction treatment programming.”

MATADOR employs the use of injectable naltrexone. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, patients can take effective medication monthly as opposed to the daily dosing of methadone, buprenorphine, or oral naltrexone.

This grant will allow the Sheriff’s Office to expand its MATADOR eligibility and include “females departing MCI-Framingham and those in the pre-trial population involved with the drug courts,” according to the release.

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