Nashua, NH Towns Receive Federal Grants To Battle Opioid Epidemic

NASHUA, NH – Ten New Hampshire drug prevention coalitions, including those in Nashua and Souhegan Velley, with share in $1,250,000 in Drug Free Communities grants from the Office of the National Drug Control Policy. The grants will provide local community coalitions to prevent youth substance abuse.

U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan, and U.S. Representatives Annie Kuster and Chris Pappas, announced the grants on Friday.

"Youth drug prevention coalitions are doing life-saving work to protect children from substance use and they need resources to maintain existing programs and reach more people," said Senator Shaheen. "That's why I'm pleased to announce these federal grants, which will go a long way in helping to bolster the efforts of prevention partners around the state. I urge ONDCP to move rapidly in announcing the remaining DFC grants for the year and I’ll continue to fight for the funding and resources New Hampshire needs to battle the substance use disorder epidemic."

There were signs of hope amid Nashua's opioid crisis in 2019. Opioid overdose deaths dropped 22 percent in the city in 2018 while the use of Narcan — the opioid overdose antidote — more than doubled, according to statistics compiled by American Medical Response, which provides emergency services in Nashua. Overall, however, the number of suspected opioid overdoses remained steady at 314, a 4 percent increase over 2017.

The DFC Program is administered by ONDCP with program support from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The Fiscal Year 2019 grants include new grants of $125,000 to ALL Together in the Upper Valley region and the Keene Family YMCA Community Coalition on Youth Substance Misuse, as well as continuation grants of $125,000 to Community Action for Safe Teens in Souhegan Valley, the Nashua Prevention Coalition, Franklin Mayor’s Drug and Alcohol Abuse Task Force, Reality Check Now in Jaffrey, We’ve Got Your Back in Winchester, the Haverhill Area Substance Misuse Prevention Coalition, the Raymond Coalition for Youth, and the Somersworth Prevention Coalition.

"Combating the substance misuse epidemic requires a comprehensive, community-based effort that includes early prevention of drug and alcohol use for young people," Senator Hassan said. "As governor and now as senator, I know the importance of these federal grants in supporting Granite State communities working on preventing tobacco and substance misuse among the next generation, including vaping, excessive alcohol consumption, and drug use. I look forward to continuing to partner with my colleagues across the aisle and in the New Hampshire delegation to support critical funding like this."

The government funding bill for opioid response efforts will target hardest-hit states like New Hampshire. As a result of these efforts, New Hampshire recently received a more than seven-fold increase in annual grant award funding provided through the State Opioid Response Grant program.

"Youth drug prevention programs play a critical role in combating the opioid epidemic," said Congresswoman Kuster, the founder and co-chair of the Bipartisan Opioid Task Force. "This much-needed funding from ONDCP will enable these programs to continue their efforts on behalf of Granite State children and families. I will continue working to find solutions to our nation’s opioid crisis and ensure New Hampshire has the necessary funding to address this epidemic."

DFC coalitions have led innovative opioid prevention initiatives and have demonstrated significant declines in prevalence of prescription drug misuse amongst participants.

"It is critical that we give our communities every resource possible to protect the health of our young people and empower them to lead the fight against substance abuse," said Congressman Pappas. "Drug Free Communities are an important part of the effort to strengthen substance use prevention efforts, and I am pleased that these additional resources will now be made available through the Office of National Drug Control Policy. This funding will go a long way, and I remain committed to bringing additional federal dollars back to New Hampshire whenever possible to confront the crisis of addiction."