The Maine Wire
  • News
  • Commentary
  • The Blog
  • About
    • Contact
  • Investigations
    • Data
  • Donate
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Trending News
  • Four Arrested in Brooks Drug Bust After Months-Long Investigation
  • Mills Wants to Keep the Door Open for “Future Generations” to Seize Tribal Lands
  • All Maine School Boards Have Just Over a Year to Decide on Their Student Cell Phone Use Policies
  • Nukes and Cukes: In Negotiating with Iran, the Patient and the Determined Always Have the Edge
  • Supreme Court Hands Trump Admin Victory On Efforts To Deport ‘Worst’ Illegal Migrants
  • Oxford Senator Rick Bennett Sheds GOP to Run for Maine Governor as an Independent
  • Three More Mills Vetoes – Tribal Eminent Domain, LGBTQIA+ Recovery Housing, Ferry Power Grab
  • China Tries Getting Rich In America’s Backyard
Facebook Twitter Instagram
The Maine Wire
Wednesday, June 25
  • News
  • Commentary
  • The Blog
  • About
    • Contact
  • Investigations
    • Data
  • Donate
The Maine Wire
Home » News » News » Portland Awarded $4 Million CDC Grant for Overdose Prevention
News

Portland Awarded $4 Million CDC Grant for Overdose Prevention

Edward TomicBy Edward TomicSeptember 5, 2023Updated:September 5, 20231 Comment3 Mins Read
Facebook Twitter Email LinkedIn Reddit
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email

Portland’s Public Health Division has been selected as a recipient of a $4 million grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) under the agency’s Overdose Data to Action (OD2A) program.

[RELATED: ‘Millsvilles’: The Maine Wire Visits Portland’s Drug-Infested Tent Cities]

The CDC’s OD2A program was launched in 2019, awarding 66 grants to state, territorial, county, and city health departments.

This month, the CDC awarded new five-year cooperative agreements to 90 jurisdictions under two programs, one designed for states, and one designed for localities and territories which Portland received.

The OD2A program focuses on data collection via a surveillance infrastructure, as well as harm reduction and prevention strategies, such as naloxone distribution and syringe service programs.

Maine CDC partners with several nonprofits in order to distribute clean syringes to individuals with a substance abuse disorder in exchange for dirty ones — in 2022, the program distributed and collected almost 2.5 million syringes statewide.

The City of Sanford suspended its syringe exchange program in July due to the harm it was causing to local businesses by discarded hypodermic needles and harassment of employees by opioid addicts near the needle exchange.

Portland city officials have told business owners across from one of the city’s largest homeless encampments and open air drug markets on Marginal Way that the city cannot allocate resources to assist in helping businesses clean up needles or human excrement on their property.

According to the Maine Drug Data Hub, there have been a total of 88 confirmed or suspected fatal overdoses in Cumberland County from January to July of this year, the largest number of any Maine county.

[RELATED: “We are asking for help”: Business Across From Portland Park and Ride Homeless Encampment Put on Lockdown After Man High on Drugs Enters Store]

“Portland Public Health is grateful for the support of and partnership with the CDC,” said Alfredo Vergara, Portland Director of Public Health in a Friday press release. “We are proud to share this mission and effort to prevent overdoses and protect the well-being of our community. This grant will make a lasting impact and provide hope to those affected by substance use disorders.”

With this CDC grant, the city wrote, Portland will be able to respond “more quickly, effectively, and equitably to residents’ needs, using data to drive action to reduce overdose deaths and related harms.”

[RELATED: “Zombie Slasher” Machete and Loaded Shotgun Horrify Store Owners Across from Portland Homeless Encampment]

“We are thrilled to award this grant to Portland’s Public Health Division and support their continued effort to prevent drug overdose and improve the lives of residents,” said CDC Division of Overdose Prevention Director Grant Baldwin.

“Through the OD2A program, CDC is empowering jurisdictions with the necessary tools and resources to collect, analyze, and use data to inform prevention activities that make a significant impact in communities,” Baldwin said.

Previous ArticleJuvenile Receives Summons for Aggravated Reckless Conduct for Portland Labor Day Shooting
Next Article Troy Jackson’s $80k+ in Taxpayer-funded Reimbursements Were Approved by Troy Jackson
Edward Tomic

Edward Tomic is a reporter for The Maine Wire based in Southern Maine. He grew up near Boston, Massachusetts and is a graduate of Boston University. He can be reached at tomic@themainewire.com

Subscribe to Substack

Related Posts

Four Arrested in Brooks Drug Bust After Months-Long Investigation

June 24, 2025

Mills Wants to Keep the Door Open for “Future Generations” to Seize Tribal Lands

June 24, 2025

All Maine School Boards Have Just Over a Year to Decide on Their Student Cell Phone Use Policies

June 24, 2025

<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="21930 https://www.themainewire.com/?p=21930">1 Comment

  1. Arin on September 6, 2023 7:12 AM

    This is today’s Amerika: The cost of dealing with the consequences of a country in moral decay and a long corrupt government and its illicit activities. The CIA is responsible for bringing drugs into the country, partnering with cartels as well.

Leave A Reply

Subscribe to Substack
Recent News

Four Arrested in Brooks Drug Bust After Months-Long Investigation

June 24, 2025

Mills Wants to Keep the Door Open for “Future Generations” to Seize Tribal Lands

June 24, 2025

All Maine School Boards Have Just Over a Year to Decide on Their Student Cell Phone Use Policies

June 24, 2025

Supreme Court Hands Trump Admin Victory On Efforts To Deport ‘Worst’ Illegal Migrants

June 24, 2025

Oxford Senator Rick Bennett Sheds GOP to Run for Maine Governor as an Independent

June 24, 2025
Newsletter

News

  • News
  • Campaigns & Elections
  • Opinion & Commentary
  • Media Watch
  • Education
  • Media

Maine Wire

  • About the Maine Wire
  • Advertising
  • Contact Us
  • Submit Commentary
  • Complaints
  • Maine Policy Institute

Resources

  • Maine Legislature
  • Legislation Finder
  • Get the Newsletter
  • Maine Wire TV

Facebook Twitter Instagram Steam RSS
  • Post Office Box 7829, Portland, Maine 04112

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.