Opioid Task Force

Led by Co-chairs Northwestern District Attorney's Office DA David Sullivan and Register John Merrigan, members of the Opioid Task Force Executive Council met with Erika Hensel, Opioid Response Manager for Massachusetts AG Andrea Campbell with Dan Harper, Founder of Eliza's Watch, and Pedro Alvarez of Tapestry , in their roles as members of the AG's Advisory Council on Substance Use earlier today.

Each Opioid Task Force Executive Council member provided crucial input addressing prevention, intervention, treatment and recovery priorities for consideration of the Attorney General as she and her team move forward to support those impacted by substance use.

Thanks to Jen Brzezinski of the Franklin County Sheriff's Office, Heather Bialecki-Canning, of the North Quabbin Community Coalition Jessye Deane of the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce, Tess Jurgenson of the Executive Office of the Trial Court, David Lanie of Greenfield Community College, Geoff Nauheim of the United Way of Franklin/Hampshire, Dr. Michelle Schutt of Greenfield Community College, Jodi Stack of Baystate Franklin Medical Center, Allie van der Velden of the Community Health Center of Franklin County, and Phoebe Walker of the Franklin Regional Council of Governments for their thoughtful and insightful commentary.

With appreciation to Greenfield Community College for hosting this gathering and the OTF team for providing meeting support - Deb McLaughlin, Karen Carmona, Kristen Cuddy-Pease, and Nicole St. Hilaire.

Register today!

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/XOfqvlAQSnmQlyzBkN511A

Register today!

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/oDXKbwOGRUK1z4S-ifU75w

This week is going to be hot!

Check out the updated Emergency Response Resources Guide for the list of cooling centers in Franklin County and the North Quabbin Region here: https://canva.link/f73i2qlbfkur06y.

Signal boost!

"....Every single school I've presented in, we've had an overdose," he said while testifying in favor of a Kansas bill that would require school districts to provide fentanyl abuse education programs and have overdose reversal medications in every school. The bill didn't make it out of the committee stage.

Most states allow schools to carry overdose reversal medications. Now, some states are beginning to require it...."

As overdoses in schools rise, many are keeping reversal medications on hand | Jefferson City News-Tribune Kansas City firefighter Josh Magaha teaches fentanyl and opioid overdose awareness at schools in Kansas.

"The number of opioid-related overdose fatalities fell below 1,000 for the first time in more than a decade in 2025, state health officials said Friday, marking a significant improvement since Massachusetts broke a devastating record a few years ago..."

Mass. opioid overdose deaths fall to lowest level since since 2013 Overdose deaths, which claimed more 2,000 lives annually between 2016 and 2023, reached a record high of 2,364 in 2022.