Substance Use and Mental Health Task Force

Opioid Use, a key issue facing the nation, is a priority for the Pawtucket Central Falls Health Equity Zone and the Task Force is making significant inroads. After conducting community assessments, listening sessions, town halls, and meetings with police and subject matter experts, the HEZ developed an action plan targeted at addressing prevention, rescue and treatment. After just a year, incidents of overdose have gone down despite increases nationwide. Their mission: reduce overdoses in Pawtucket and Central Falls through prevention, harm reduction, treatment and recovery. The task force envisions their cities free from overdose deaths and equitable access to recovery resources.

Prevention: The Task Force managed anti-stigma trainings for key groups including local leaders of color, youth leaders, students, library and city hall staff. Author and researcher Dr. John Soske facilitated a training for task force member to become certified to use "Words Matter," a framework that identifies stigma language and ideas. And they are collaborating with law enforcement with the long-term goal to improve relations between law enforcement and the community.

Rescue: The team facilitated distribution of Narcan/Naloxone and provided trainings for community use. The target goals for distribution were far exceeded and the Task Force is working with the Department of Health to increase expectations for upcoming years.

Treatment: The Task Force is working with recovery specialists and recovery services providers to expand outreach to ensure community access is available five days a week.

"Everyone’s life has been touched by the opioid epidemic. People see the huge risk that Fentanyl presents, but they're not aware of how insidious it is."

— Liz Moreira, Assistant Program Officer at LISC Rhode Island.