BPHC Opioid Affected Youth Initiative

The Boston Public Health Commission, in collaboration with youth-serving agencies and the city’s Boston Youth Resiliency & Recovery Collaborative, will use funding to implement several population-specific approaches, drawing on community-driven needs assessment and relevant data. The proposed project focuses on Black, Latinx and LGBTQ youth and young adults (ages 11-24), with the goal to support youth and families affected by the opioid crisis and substance use through the creation of a citywide, data-driven, cross-sector collaborative plan to catalyze positive community and systems change. The collaborative was affirming of LGBTQ youth identity and is associated with a reduction in LGBTQ adolescent risk behaviors. Additionally, the applicant received priority consideration by including policies, practices, and /or procedures in response to DOJ priorities, as well as a discussion of how the project will benefit those in high-poverty areas.