Essex Medicated Assistant Treatment Recovery Project

The Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Program (COSSAP) was developed as part of the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) legislation. COSSAP’s purpose is to provide financial and technical assistance to states, units of local government, and Indian tribal governments to develop, implement, or expand comprehensive efforts to identify, respond to, treat, and support those impacted by illicit opioids, stimulants, and other drugs of abuse.

The objective of Category 1 is to encourage and support the development of comprehensive, locally driven responses to opioids, stimulants, and other substances that expand access to supervision, treatment, and recovery support services across the criminal justice system; support law enforcement and other first responder diversion programs for nonviolent drug offenders; promote education and prevention activities; and address the needs of children impacted by substance abuse.

The Essex Medicated Assisted Treatment Recovery Project (EMATRP) will be expanding and enhancing its current MAT program and support services pre- and post- release through these initiatives: (1) enhancing the current MAT program with care continuum coordinators, (2) providing pre-release harm-reduction education for all MAT participants to include naloxone upon release for 3,000 inmates, and (3) partnering with Spectrum for clinical stabilization services beds to provide participants with transitional housing and peer recovery for up 825 inmates. This project serves Essex County in Massachusetts with a population of 800,017. The project includes partnerships between Wellpath.

CA/NCF