Middlesex Sheriff's Office Awarded Opioid Crime Reduction Grant

MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MA – The Baker-Polito administration awarded the Middlesex Sheriff's Office close to $140,000 to fund its ongoing efforts to address the opioid crisis. The MSO received $139,647 under the Heroin and Opioid Crime Reduction Renewal Grant.

This is the second consecutive year the MSO has been awarded the grant.

"I want to thank Gov. Baker and his administration for their continued efforts to implement and support initiatives aimed at stemming the tide of the opioid crisis," Sheriff Peter Koutoujian said in a statement. "This grant will assist our endeavors to help those individuals placed in our custody address their substance use disorders and reduce their likelihood to recidivate."

The grant will support the continuation of the MSO's Medication Assisted Treatment and Directed Opioid Recovery (MATADOR) Program, a six-month, post-release initiative that incorporates injections of Naltrexone – a medication that blocks the effects of opioids – with counseling and support from a patient navigator.

The grant will also continue funding two long-term treatment beds at Lowell House designated for program participants. Through the first 20 months of the initiative, the MSO has seen less than 10 percent of participants get convicted of a new crime.

In total, $2.3 million dollars was awarded statewide through the competitive grant program this cycle.

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