Milford Opioid Response Initiative
Reducing drug overdoses and overdose deaths of Milford residents by engaging a multi-stakeholder collaborative and obtaining high quality, comprehensive, and timely data to inform prevention and response efforts. See more information below on this initiative and how you can join.
Trainings and Educational Opportunities
Opioid Overdose Prevention/Naloxone (Narcan). Naloxone, also known as Narcan, is a prescription medication that reverses opioid overdoses. It is a safe and easy to use medication that you can get from your doctor or a certified pharmacist. See a list of Milford specific pharmacies below. CT Medicaid and most commercial insurance cover naloxone, although there may be a co-pay or deductible. Learn more about Narcan here. For trainings on this topic you can find more information click Alliance for Prevention and Wellness and see more information on them below.
Click here to learn how to access FREE narcan for your home
Free Trainings and Community Events
March 5, 2024 "Silence on the Streets" Film Screening and Discussion to attend this in person screening click here
March 19, 2024 Substance use, society and social impact to attend Register here
May 13 & May 20, 2024 Mental Health First Aid for Older Adults (65+) to attend contact Erica Skoutas at eskoutas@bridgesmilford.org
April 2, 2024 Treatment Strategies in Primary Care: Nicotine Replacement Therapy and NAC treatment for Cannabis Use Disorder Click here to learn more and register
April 4, 2024 2pm Healthy Neighborhood Narcan Training 300 Seaside Ave. Milford, CT Auditorium B
April 11, 2024 2:00pm The Harm Reduction Gap: Implications for Public Health and Medical Providers for more information click here
April 10th & 17th, 2024 Two part interactive workshop series: Reduce stigma by discussing lived experience and the systems meant to support individuals Click here to learn more
The National Recovery Conference at the Omni Hotel at Yale (August)
Yale Program Addiction Medicine Rounds
Learn more about QPR (Question. Persuade. Refer.) trainings here
Help lines and Treatment
Connecticut State Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, Access Line: 1-800-563-4086 Statewide toll-free number for people seeking treatment and information about treatment and services. Answered 24/7/365
Click here to view Daily Bed Availability for various Detox Programs, Residential Treatment Programs & Recovery Homes provided through the Department of Mental Health & Addiction Services. The site is updated daily.
Click here for a full list of CT Opioid Treatment Options
Click here for Medication- Assisted- Treatment Practitioner Locator
Click here for a map of Medicaid MAT Providers
Click here for CT resources with the Governor's Prevention Partnership
Click here for information on loved ones who experience overdose
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Bridges offers fast-track access to treatment for individuals with opioid use disorder, ages 16 and up.Call 203.878.6365 Today
Street-Side Treatment and Support for Opioid Addiction
Bridges' MATT's Van is Connecticut's first Mobile Addiction Treatment Team for opioid addiction. MATT's Van reduces the barriers to treatment by offering individuals a way to get help without having to make an appointment at a clinic and wait to be seen by a clinician.
Eliminate Withdrawal Symptoms and Reduce Cravings
MATT's Van clients are seen immediately by a recovery coach and prescriber; prescriptions for Suboxone are written immediately on the Van with same day unobserved Suboxone inductions. The medication reduces withdrawal symptoms and the chances of a relapse. Clients will have access to a peer counselor, a Narcan overdose reversal kit, referral to a treatment center like Bridges, and transportation to a pharmacy to fill the prescription.
The service is free and does not require proof of insurance however individuals must be over 18 to receive services. Click here for additional information
Fentanyl test strips are a tool that can be used to prevent an opioid overdose. Many illicit drugs contain fentanyl, which can be lethal. If they test positive, the person can then think about changing the way they are taking the drug (using less or going slow), making sure they don't use alone, or choosing not to use it. Watch the fentanyl test strip video to learn the proper steps to test for fentanyl. Contact your local SSP or local health department for more information about where to get the strips. Information for Healthcare Providers and People Who Use Drugs
"Fake pills,” also known as counterfeit pills, are often being sold through the illicit drug market. These pills can be laced with other drugs (like fentanyl) that can be deadly. They are produced without safety controls in substandard conditions, labeled incorrectly, and have many unknown substances. It is important to be aware that a number of these drugs are being sold through social media and online, not just on the street. Pills marked as Adderall, Xanax, and Oxycodone can be pressed by illegal drug mills to resemble these prescription drugs. Over 25% of these pills tested positive with a lethal dose of fentanyl. The DEA has stated that the best way to avoid counterfeit medication is to take only medications prescribed by a licensed medical professional and dispensed by a registered pharmacist. Click here to watch the video
Alliance for Prevention and Wellness
Alliance for Prevention and Wellness is contracted with the CT Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) to provide prevention and training for behavioral health and promote mental health services to 36 towns and communities in the South-Central Region of Connecticut, also known as DMHAS Region 2.
Communities include: Ansonia, Bethany, Branford, Chester, Clinton, Cromwell, Deep River, Derby, Durham, East Haddam, East Hampton, East Haven, Essex, Guilford, Haddam, Hamden, Killingworth, Lyme, Madison, Meriden, Middlefield, Middletown, Milford, New Haven, North Branford, North Haven, Old Lyme, Old Saybrook, Orange, Portland, Seymour, Shelton, Wallingford, Westbrook, West Haven, Woodbridge.
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Connecticut State Department of Public Health,
Opioids and Prescription Drug Overdose Prevention
The misuse of prescription medication and opioid-based drugs has increased significantly over the years to become a public health concern in Connecticut. Click on the picture to visit the DPH website and find out more about the Naloxone + Opioid Response App (NORA), a free interactive educational tool that will expand your understanding of what naloxone is and reinforce initial training when a prescription is filled for it. Opioid overdose data also can be found here, including data in the form of an interactive dashboard, and data from the State’s syndromic surveillance system (EpiCenter), the Connecticut Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, the Prescription Drug Monitoring and Reporting System, and the Statewide Overdose Reporting Directive.
Before it's too late
There are questions every patient and/or advocate should ask whenever being prescribed an opioid. Prescription opioids may not be right for everyone. Asking questions is important for your health when your doctor, dentist, or other health care professional prescribes you an opioid, such as hydrocodone, oxycodone, codeine, or morphine. Learn more on what to ask your doctor here.
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YouthRecoveryCT Can Help.
For Connecticut teens and young adults struggling with addiction or substance use issues, YouthRecoveryCT offers recovery assistance, peer support, and hope—even if your situation seems hopeless, and even if you have already tried treatment and support groups with no success. Meet people who know what it’s like to walk in your shoes and let them show you a better path.
Milford Opioid Response Initiative
The Milford Health Department was awarded the Overdose Data to Action (OD2A) grant through the Department of Public Health. It was a 2-year grant that focused on the complex and changing nature of the drug overdose epidemic and highlighted the need for an interdisciplinary, comprehensive, and cohesive public health approach. The purpose of the grant was to reduce drug overdoses and overdose deaths of Milford residents using high quality, more comprehensive, and timely data on overdose morbidity and mortality and to use these data to inform prevention and response efforts.
The Milford Community Opioid Overdose Response (COOR) Collaborative has been formed to assist the Milford Health Department and the Maine Medical Association Center for Quality Improvement with the CT OD2A grant. The COOR is a multi-stakeholder collaborative that is working to align and de-duplicate community efforts for prevention and treatment of Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) and substance use disorder (SUD).
By leveraging data from various sources, such as the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and the CT Department of Public Health (DPH), the COOR will assist in the development of a data to action roadmap that focuses on whole person care for someone suffering with OUD and/or SUD. The COOR also will develop a sustainable model of collaboration that will leverage these and other data for a more unified response to OUD and SUD that best serves the citizens of Milford.
If you are interested in joining the collaborative or have questions please contact Jennifer Clarke-Lofters, Community Health Coordinator at jclarke-lofters@milfordct.gov or 203-701-4524.
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Meet the COOR