Selectmen Approve Request for Opioid Grant Funding

The Seekonk Board of Selectmen have approved Police Chief Dean Isabella’s request for a federal opioid program grant. The Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) announced grant awards totaling more than $300 million to help combat America’s substance use crisis, which has worsened during the coronavirus pandemic. In addition to these grants, OJP is awarding $34 million to help communities respond to public safety and public health emergencies, including crises that result from substance use disorders.

Isabella is seeking a $798,156 grant for a Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant and Substance Abuse Site-Based Program which will last through September 2024. There was a 300 percent increase in fatal overdoses in Bristol County between 2010 and 2020. In 2010, 70 overdoses were reported. That number jumped to 232 in 2020. The epidemic of overdoses and mental health problems have been a drain on law enforcement. “It’s a challenge for us,” Isabella said at Wednesday’s meeting. “The people that we’re dealing with, a large portion of them have issues related either to drug abuse or mental health crisis.” In Seekonk, there were 40 opioid incidents reported in 2020. In 2021, there were 26 opioid incidents. That’s the third highest in the proposed Bristol County coalition. In 2020, there were 119 police department responses related to some form of mental health crisis. In 2021, there were 84 responses. Many of those were reports of a threat of someone to do self-harm, attempted suicide, or actual suicide.

The grant will fund the development of a regional co-responding program for eight towns in Bristol County, including Somerset, Swansea, Rehoboth, Mansfield, Dighton, Easton, and Fairhaven. The program will allow for better access to treatment for substance abuse disorders and for those dealing with mental health problems. An Outreach team will conduct post-overdose home visits within a 72 hour period. The grant will also allow for training for police officers as well as for overtime pay related to participation in the training program. Plymouth County has had an outreach program in effect since 2019. Isabella said the county reported a 22 percent decline in fatal overdoses and an 11 percent decreased in non-fatal overdoses.

Isabella said the town of Seekonk will not incur any additional expenses by implementing the program. “Everything is covered through the grant,” Isabella said. “This is about saving lives.” “This will help the police department in so many ways,” said Selectman Michael Healy, who voted no on the grant request because he said Isabella presented it to the board without giving them sufficient time to discuss it.

“We’re finding out at the last minute,” Healy noted. Isabella apologized for not informing the board about the grant sooner. “The process just broke down for this grant, that’s all,” said Town Administrator Shawn Cadime. Selectman David Andrade also voted against the grant, while Chairman Justin Sullivan, Adam Petronio, and Chris Zorra voted in favor. Andrade explained he couldn’t vote for the grant because he had questions about the additional work police officers would be required to do when the program is implemented.  “I just didn’t have the information so that’s why I was a no,” Andrade added.