Overdose Prevention Grant Opportunity
Local entities are invited to apply for $485,000 available over four years to help reduce opioid overdoses in Wasco County. Applications are due July 15.
The funds are coming to Wasco County and the City of The Dalles from state settlements of litigation against opioid manufacturers and pharmacy chains. A local Opioid Overdose Prevention Task Force will award the funds.
The funding focuses on four areas: preventing opioid use to begin with; harm reduction for those who use opioids; treatment of opioid use; and recovery from opioid use.
The purple ribbon is a symbol of overdose prevention.
The task force can award multi-year funding to a single project. Applicants can seek funds for one year or up to four years. Funds will be disbursed yearly.
The task force draws membership from law enforcement, the fire service, mental health agencies, parole and probation, public health, prevention, and medical entities.
“The reality is that 32% of U.S. adults report knowing someone who died of a drug overdose, according to a study published online May 31 in JAMA Health Forum,” said Debby Jones, director of YouthThink, Wasco County’s program for preventing youth alcohol and other drug use.
“These funds are meant to be spent locally in an effort to address the issues that are happening in our very own neighborhoods,” said Jones, who leads the overdose prevention task force.
“We have the opportunity to help youth to never start using, help those who are currently in the midst of their addiction as well as those maintaining their recovery. It’s a terrible opportunity that we must take advantage of in order to save lives now and in the future,” Jones said.
Eligible applicants include community based organizations, nonprofit organizations, substance use disorder treatment providers/organizations, faith-based organizations, schools, governmental entities, peer delivered services, and behavioral and mental health providers whose service area includes Wasco County.
The grant application can be found at this link: https://www.co.wasco.or.us/departments/administrative_services/public_notices.php Applications are due by Monday, July 15 at 5 p.m. and should be emailed to debbyj@co.wasco.or.us.
A link to a list of allowable grant uses, known as Exhibit E, is here: https://nationalopioidsettlement.com/wpcontent/uploads/2023/02/TEVA-Exhibit-E.pdf
(For more information, please contact North Central Public Health District at (541) 506-2600, visit us on the web at www.ncphd.org or find us on Facebook.)