Efforts continue to crack down on overdoses, provide resources

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) - Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni, along with Hamden County Sheriff Nick Cocchi, commended the Hampden County Addiction Taskforce (HCAT) on Wednesday for their efforts in cracking down on fatal overdoses and providing resources to those in the community suffering from addiction.

HCAT was established about 10 years back when Gulluni and the sheriff’s department realized there was a major problem with addiction in western Massachusetts that needed to be addressed. “Incredible work that’s being done with folks that experience a non-fatal overdose. There is direct outreach with them and their families within 24 hours after that incident, really reaching out at that vulnerable time in a non-threatening way to make sure that individual going through that experience has a chance at recover and doesn’t return to substance abuse,” Gulluni explained.

The taskforce is a multi-agency initiative led by the sheriff’s and DA’s office. The rapid response team works side-by-side with law enforcement, healthcare providers, outreach workers, and treatment programs in order to provide resources after someone experiences a non-fatal overdose. One tool they also use is called CIMS, which is a web-based tool created by Kelley Research Associates, as well as law enforcement, to map and track overdoses across the state and beyond. The data helps HCAT collect data, which shows them their progress in fighting addiction, and it can also help provide resources to people who have overdosed even if the overdose didn’t happen in their hometown.

For example, Pam Kelley of Kelley Research Associates told a story on Wednesday about how the software was able to connect someone who overdosed on vacation to resources when he got back home. “They utilized CIMS that a person overdosed and they were able to tell Danvers ‘Hey, one of your residents was on vacation and overdosed when they get home. You should reach out to that person’ and it was a strange, but wonderful, connection made and that person was very grateful,” she said.