Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and
Ron Wyden announced that Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) is
expected to receive $3.17 million over five years from the National Institutes
of Health (NIH) to study the effectiveness of different harm reduction
strategies at preventing overdoses and ways to expand access to these services
for diverse communities.
“The impact of the opioid crisis across Oregon’s communities
is immeasurable,” said Senator Merkley. “This
grant to OHSU to study overdose prevention will have a big impact in our
continued fight to beat this epidemic—especially for Oregon’s rural communities
and communities of color. I will keep working to deliver resources, solutions,
and support to address the needs of those suffering and their communities.”“Far too many Oregonians and their loved ones know the
anguish and danger of opioid use,” Wyden
said. “These federal resources earned by OHSU will put the powers of
research and science to good use, providing the opportunity to bring relief to
communities under assault from this life-and-death epidemic. And I’ll continue
battling on every front to reduce opioid abuse and addiction throughout Oregon.”
This NIH funding is one of 10 grants awarded nationwide and
is provided through the Helping to End Addiction Long-term® (HEAL) Initiative,
which aims to speed scientific solutions to stem the nationwide opioid public
health crisis. OHSU’s study will evaluate two interventions—contingency
management, an evidence-based behavioral intervention for the treatment of a
variety of substance use disorders; and the identification of personal
harm-reduction goals with peer support—at community-based organizations in
rural Oregon, with the goal of increasing the availability and effectiveness of
harm reduction services.
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