- Executive Office of Health and Human Services
Media Contact for Healey-Driscoll Administration Awards $1.1 Million in Services for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Residents at Substance Use Disorder Centers
Cecille Joan Avila, Media Relations Manager
BOSTON — Today the Healey-Driscoll administration awarded $1.1 million in grant funding to three substance use disorder treatment centers across Massachusetts to establish or enhance recovery support services for Deaf and hard of hearing constituents.
Through collaboration between the Department of Public Health’s Bureau of Substance Addiction Services and the Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (MCDHH), the one-time award will support Deaf, late deafened, DeafBlind, and hard of hearing individuals seeking substance addiction treatment and recovery support services. Funding may also be used to address equity and outreach to people of color and marginalized communities, including the hiring of staff to support these efforts.
“Accessibility to services is vital for all Massachusetts residents and improving access to substance use disorder centers during an opioid epidemic can save lives,” said Secretary of Health and Human Services Kate Walsh. “As we continue to remove barriers to care for those dealing with substance use disorder, we must recognize that these diseases impact communities across the Commonwealth. I am very happy that we are taking this step to improve access and inclusion for our neighbors in the Deaf or hard of hearing community. Identifying and investing in appropriate resources and staff to work specifically with this community will provide access to culturally appropriate, nuanced, and effective care.”
“MCDHH is immensely grateful to the Healey-Driscoll Administration, Secretary Walsh, and our colleagues at the Department of Public Health for this pivotal investment,” said MCDHH Commissioner Opeoluwa Sotonwa. “When it comes to substance use disorder care, the ecosystem we have in Massachusetts is unmatched. However, the Deaf and hard of hearing community has had difficulty accessing these critical services due to the lack of enough culturally and linguistically accessible service providers available to meet their needs. This grant will help ensure that when a Deaf or hard of hearing person walks through the door at any of these facilities, they will receive accessible quality care and services.”
“Trauma experiences in the Deaf and hard of hearing population are far too common as communication barriers, isolation, and inaccessible meetings and services can create insurmountable challenges to individuals attempting to access substance use disorder treatment,’’ said DPH Commissioner Margret Cooke. “This funding is essential to meet the communication and cultural needs of Deaf and hard of hearing individuals in addiction treatment and recovery settings.”
Grants were awarded to the following organizations in equal parts:
- Behavioral Health Network
- High Point Treatment Center
- North Suffolk Community Services
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