Essex County funds access‑to‑care feasibility study and mobile outreach grant including Narcan distribution

Essex County commissioners on March 6 approved public‑health contracts intended to expand access to services and community outreach.

Maya Lourdough, health officer, described Item 8 (county environmental grant/SEHA letter of intent) and Item 9: a 12‑month contract with Concept Systems for a feasibility study on access to care not to exceed $338,556, funded through a state county infrastructure grant to identify gaps for vulnerable populations and recommend sustainable programs.

Item 52, presented by Colette DeGrazia and Integrity House’s Christopher Rojas, is a Reach for Recovery mobile outreach contract ($133,153, Jan. 30–Sept. 30, 2024) that will provide substance‑use disorder screenings, mental‑health screenings, Narcan distribution, fentanyl test strips and referrals to treatment. Joel Torres of the Division of Community Health Services described partnerships with school‑based and community programs and a regional coalition (ADAPT) that helps provide youth prevention work; Torres said county data show overdose alerts across municipalities and that the demographic most affected in countywide overdose data is a 55‑year‑old Black male in urban communities, while van outreach encounters a broader mix including youth at high‑school locations.

Commissioners asked about Narcan availability and training; Torres and Rojas said Narcan spray is distributed free through the van and partner networks, quarterly training is offered (limited to about 25 people per session), and the county is working with the state to enroll pharmacies in a reimbursement program so they can provide Narcan without charge. The board approved the health items by roll call.