Massachusetts ACEs, Overdose, and Suicide Prevention Funding

ACEs prevention funding - Massachusetts

ACEs are preventable, potentially traumatic events that occur in childhood (0-17 years). Examples include neglect, experiencing or witnessing violence, or having a family member attempt or die by suicide.

*ACE statistics are reported by U.S. adults and include exposure to eight types of ACEs: physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, witnessing intimate partner violence, household substance abuse, household mental illness, parental separation or divorce, and incarcerated household member.

Examples of how Massachusetts is working to prevent ACEs

Prevention and surveillance activities

With Preventing ACEs: Data to Action funding, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health is adding questions about experiencing ACEs to the Massachusetts Youth Risk Behavior Survey to provide representative state-wide estimates of ACEs for Massachusetts public high school students. The department is also using emergency department syndromic surveillance data to monitor certain ACEs in real time to help inform community needs and prevention efforts. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health is promoting social norms that protect against violence and adversity by engaging men and boys in Latinx communities as allies in prevention; strengthening economic supports to families by informing policies that increase access to paid family and medical leave; and connecting youth to caring adults and activities through mentoring and after-school programs and educating youth-serving providers on adverse and positive childhood experiences.

Supporting low-income and minority workers

The Massachusetts Essentials for Childhood team is particularly interested in increasing the earned income tax filing rates for low-income workers and has partnered with multiple state agencies, the healthcare sector, and economic justice organizations to further this work. Massachusetts's paid family and medical leave policy took effect in January 2021. The Massachusetts team is also working to ensure policy implementation is inclusive of Black, Hispanic/Latino, and low-wage workers. The Massachusetts team has been invited by the new Department of Family and Medical Leave to provide support in bringing a public health approach to the rollout of this policy, including work related to data collection and unintended consequences.

Improving social norms and connectedness

In the first year of the project, the Massachusetts Essentials for Childhood team focused on two municipalities as pilot communities. The project is now expanding to include more pilot communities with varying geographies and racial compositions. The Massachusetts team works with communities and other partners to develop, field test, and improve resources related to social norms change for community use. Examples of these resources include a social connectedness toolkit that municipal leaders used to assess their own communities' capacity to increase social connections and a Plans of Safe Care Brief, a program targeting families that experience substance misuse in the home.

Other support for ACEs in Massachusetts

Beyond the ACEs appropriation, CDC supports several initiatives, research, and partnerships to build state and tribal surveillance infrastructure and enhance ACEs prevention and mitigation.

In Massachusetts, some of those other initiatives include:

• Core State Injury Prevention Program
• Overdose Data to Action
• Preventing Violence Affecting Young Lives
• Essentials for Childhood

Overdose prevention funding - Massachusetts

There were 106,699 drug overdose deaths in the United States in 2021 (32.4 deaths per 100,000 standard population), a 16% increase from 2020.2

*average award amount

Examples of how Massachusetts is working to prevent overdose

Pharmacist-led technical assistance on medication management in substance use disorder treatment facilities

End Mass Overdose Health's pharmacist-led technical assistance program expanded from one all-male substance use disorder facility to 21, including programs serving pregnant and postpartum women, transitional youth, and individuals who may be actively using substances, and/or have a history of suicidality. At a number of these locations, medication support planning helps retain patients in care following a dischargeable prescription medication misuse or non-adherence incident. EMO Health is also launching a pharmacist-staffed medication management support helpline for the Massachusetts SUD Treatment System to answer staff's questions in real time.

Black and Latino men's culturally-specific reentry services

Massachusetts launched a recovery-based reentry program for Black and Latino men who have experienced incarceration. Five community-based organizations are providing person-centered, culturally responsive pre-release and community-based care coordination and recovery support.

Drug supply tracking platform

The Massachusetts Drug Supply Data Stream was developed and deployed to learn more about the local illicit drug supply and better inform public health and public safety responses. The platform has expanded into a multi-state network, critical to understanding and communicating trends in the illicit drug supply.

Suicide prevention funding - Massachusetts

Massachusetts suicide prevention priorities

Massachusetts is preventing suicide with the CDC Injury Center funding by:A

• Strengthening access and delivery of suicide care
• Creating protective environments
• Promoting connectedness
• Teaching coping and problem-solving skills
• Identifying and supporting people at risk

Some groups have higher rates of suicide than others. To address disparities, Massachusetts is focusing on:

• Men 25-64 years of age
• Youth
• All Hispanic/Latinx persons

Examples of how Massachusetts is working to prevent suicide

Suicide identification training

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health plans to change policies within the state's career centers to include mandatory training for all employees to help identify clients who may show warning signs of suicide and connect them to support resources.

Inclusive suicide care

Massachusetts plans to work with community behavioral health providers in select areas, such as Lawrence and other communities with a large Hispanic population, to support their ability to provide culturally appropriate suicide care. Signs of Suicide, a peer norms program, and Good Behavior Game, a social-emotional learning program, are being implemented in these communities as upstream prevention strategies.