Flanagan shows support for Safe Homes Coalition

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 10, 2015

CONTACT: Kate Norton, knorton@ckstrategies.com, 617-838-6083

Safe Homes Coalition Launches Program in Middlesex County

The Greater Boston Association of REALTORS®, Millennium Health, Learn to Cope, Middlesex County Police Chiefs, Middlesex Sheriff Peter J. Koutoujian, Middlesex District Attorney Marian T. Ryan partner to reduce prescription medication deaths

FRAMINGHAM – Today, a number of Middlesex County police chiefs and law enforcement officials joined Middlesex Sheriff Peter J. Koutoujian, Middlesex District Attorney Marian T. Ryan, Representative Tom Sannicandro, Representative Carolyn Dykema, and Framingham Town Manager Robert Halpin to welcome a new partner in the fight against prescription drug abuse and addiction: area realtors.

The Safe Homes Coalition joined area law enforcement and drug prevention leaders to announce a new program in Greater Boston designed to reduce the abuse of prescription medication and overdose deaths. The Safe Homes Coalition leads a unique partnership comprised of the Greater Boston Association of REALTORS® (a division of the Greater Boston Real Estate Board), Learn to Cope, Millennium Health and local government and law enforcement leaders. The Coalition also includes organizations representing: the medical, dental and health care communities; recovery advocates; youth athletics; and other community partnerships.

“We need to prevent prescription medications from getting into the hands of people who shouldn’t have them, especially those most vulnerable – our children. The Safe Homes Coalition educates and empowers people to understand how to safely secure and dispose of unused or unwanted medications,” said Gregory A. Stein, Safe Homes Coalition Executive Director. “The Safe Homes Coalition brings together organizations throughout the Commonwealth to help stem this epidemic.”

“This partnership reflects a collaborative effort to educate realtors and the public about what they can do to address the opioid crisis,” said District Attorney Ryan. “In order to fight this public health crisis we have to work together. In Middlesex County we are using a multi-pronged solution that uses every tool at our disposal: education, prevention, intervention, treatment, enforcement and legislation; this program will be an important piece of that approach.”

“As parents and neighbors, we used to be concerned about our kids and their friends raiding the liquor cabinet. Today it’s the medicine cabinet,” said Sheriff Koutoujian. “By removing unused medications, we can help make our homes, neighborhoods and communities safer while saving lives in the battle against prescription drug addiction.”

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BOSTON (WHDH) – Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker is joined the Safe Homes Coalition on Wednesday to talk about the fight against prescription drug abuse.

The group announced a series of partnerships in Greater Boston to help reduce the number of overdose deaths that happen in Massachusetts because of prescription drugs.

Read more at:  WHDH-Gov. Baker joins Safe Homes Coalition

 Safe Homes Coalition Launches Program in Greater Boston

 The Greater Boston Association of REALTORS®, Learn to Cope, and Millennium Health partner to reduce preventable prescription medication deaths

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 30, 2015

CONTACT: Kate Norton, knorton@ckstrategies.com, 617-838-6083

BOSTON – At a press conference held at the Massachusetts State House today, the Safe Homes Coalition announced a new program in Greater Boston aimed at reducing overdose deaths associated with the misuse and abuse of prescription medications. The Safe Homes Coalition leads a unique partnership comprised of the Greater Boston Association of REALTORS® (a division of the Greater Boston Real Estate Board), Learn to Cope, and Millennium Health. The Coalition also includes organizations representing: the medical, dental and health care communities; law enforcement and public safety; recovery advocates; youth athletics; and other community partnerships. Elected officials, including Governor Charlie Baker, attended the event.

“We need to prevent prescription medications from getting into the hands of people who shouldn’t have them, especially those most vulnerable – our children. The Safe Homes Coalition educates and empowers people to understand how to safely secure and dispose of unused or unwanted medications,” said Gregory A. Stein, Safe Homes Coalition Executive Director. “The Safe Homes Coalition brings together organizations throughout the Commonwealth to help eradicate this epidemic.”

“Across the Commonwealth, we’ve seen instances of opioid and prescription drug abuse rise to epidemic levels, requiring assistance from a broad range of ideas and stakeholders rather than one-size-fits-all solutions,” said Governor Baker. “The attention and work the medical community, law enforcement, public health officials and officeholders are bringing to the table is an essential step toward addressing this issue, and we must consider creative and practical solutions like that proposed by the Safe Homes Coalition to impact change.”

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