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NORWICH, CT – On International Overdose Awareness Day, Rep. Joe Courtney announced a $625,000 federal grant for Griswold PRIDE to help prevent youth substance misuse.

The new federal funding will help Griswold PRIDE decrease youth’s access to prescription drugs and other substances, increase youth mental health resources, provide educational resources to youth and families, and more. The grant comes from the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Community Health Resources will serve as the fiscal agent for the federal grant.

“Families across the nation continue to experience the tragic impacts of the substance misuse crisis and our region is not immune to this epidemic. This new federal grant will allow Griswold PRIDE to expand its exceptional, grassroots work to stem opioid and other substance misuse among young people,” said Rep. Joe Courtney (CT-02). “Griswold PRIDE, under the leadership of Miranda Mahoney, has taken a data-driven and community-led approach that is making real progress in helping prevent drug use and smoking, improve community response to overdoses, and educate young people and their families. This federal grant is a testament to the progress they have made in our community and their commitment to expanding their efforts. Thank you to Miranda, as well as Community Health Resources CEO, Heather Gates, for their work to secure this funding.”

“Community Health Resources looks forward to continuing our grassroots work with the Griswold community and the amazing PRIDE coalition. This vital funding will help us to continue to work creatively and aggressively to prevent and reduce the use of marijuana, opioids, prescription drugs, nicotine, and e-cigarettes among youth; and to address issues related to depression, which will ultimately save lives. Thank you to Congressman Courtney for his unwavering support of our coalition, and for making prevention his priority,” said Miranda Mahoney, Griswold PRIDE’s Project Coordinator.

Griswold PRIDE formed in 2015 in response to the growing opioid crisis in the community. The town is challenged with a history of community norms around substance misuse as well as a high rate of overdoses and opioid use disorders. Since its founding, the organization has increased access to naloxone and treatment and recovery resources, implemented a community response to overdoses, and most recently developed a new post-overdose outreach program.

The federal funding announced today is a part of Courtney’s ongoing efforts to address substance misuse in the Second District. In May, Courtney secured a $739,322 grant for Governor’s Prevention Partnership to conduct school- and community-based prevention programs to prevent opioid misuse in eastern Connecticut. Thanks to this funding, targeted prevention activities—including a mentorship program—will serve 200 high school-aged youth and 200 parents/guardians.

Do you have additional questions? Please contact us at MHFA@chrhealth.org