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SAFE is thankful to Mike Beaudet and WCVB for highlighting the opioid abatement fund expenditure concerns in a recent news segment.
SAFE Coalition has worked with over a dozen communities in Massachusetts to advise, coordinate, and deliver community services related to opioid abatement funds.
“Families and individuals who have been impacted by the opioid epidemic deserve these funds to go to support and recovery,” says SAFE CEO and co-founder Jen Levine. “We want to help make that process as quick and seamless as possible.”
Founded in 2015, SAFE is the only nonprofit in southeast Massachusetts offering wraparound, zero-cost substance use and mental health services to individuals and families. SAFE has close, first-hand knowledge of the opioid crisis’s impact today and the complex landscape of municipal abatement funds.
Opioid fund expenditure plans are incredibly specific, seeking impact through seven key strategies including supporting people in treatment and recovery, building greater connections to care, offering harm reduction (like Narcan, fentanyl test strips, and safe syringe programs), supporting parents and families, and preventing misuse through prevention education.
SAFE has a team dedicated to understanding this expenditure strategy and working with municipalities to get it right the first time.
“We can appreciate how this unique funding source can create gaps in municipal knowledge related to spending,” Levine says. “Our hope is to bridge that knowledge gap so funds can be allocated according to set timelines and expectations.”
Families and individuals have been impacted by the opioid epidemic for over 20 years.
“By utilizing these funds, we honor all those who have struggled or are currently struggling and encourage people to get care before crisis” says Levine.
SAFE works directly with communities to deliver targeted services based on their highest needs. SAFE's services are designed to support individuals at every stage of their recovery journey, from individual and family support groups to youth education initiatives, peer-led programs, mediation, and counseling services.
SAFE also provide practical resources such as diaper and car seat banks, medication take-back events, Narcan training, trauma-centered yoga, and CPR instruction – all designed to address the broader social and environmental determinants of substance misuse and mental health.
Through a trauma-informed, culturally responsive approach, we ensure that individuals in the community can readily access the critical services they need to improve their overall health, safety, and well-being.