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About Partners Community
Benefit Programs

Improving Care and Managing Costs through Health Care Reform

Addressing Health Care Disparities

A Decade of Collaboration with Community Health Centers—Cost Effective Care in the Appropriate Setting

Addressing Infant Mortality and Improving the Health of Low Income Women

Caring for Women and Children Affected by Domestic Violence

Preventing and Responding to Substance Abuse Among Young People in Charlestown and Revere

Creating Economic Opportunity

Services for Homeless
Adults

Community Partners

Substance abuse has a devastating impact on health, the quality of community life, and the utilization and cost of health services. Early teen drinking is associated with later alcohol abuse and dependence. Nationally, at least 20 percent of hospital inpatients suffer alcohol use disorders, which often complicate their hospitalizations. Boston has one of the highest heroin use rates in the country and, according to the Boston Public Health Commission, Charlestown has death rates from heroin almost 50 percent higher than the rest of the City of Boston.

In collaboration with the MGH Community Benefit, citizens of Charlestown and Revere have formed community coalitions to fight substance abuse among youth. These communities employ science-based strategies, including raising awareness, advocating for public policy changes, implementing prevention programs, and successfully developing additional treatment resources. These efforts are resulting in modest but steady improvements in measures of drug and alcohol use, as well as, in communities’ attitudes and beliefs about their abilities to affect the problem.

Results include:

More Charlestown residents are accessing treatment. Admission rates to publicly-funded substance abuse treatment programs for Charlestown residents was 25.9 (per 1,000) in FY2004 and increased to 37.1 (per 1,000) in FY2006.
Emergency Medical Service responses to heroin overdose calls to Charlestown declined almost 18 percent between calendar year 2003 and fiscal year 2006.
Between calendar years 2002 and 2005, Charlestown’s drug abuse mortality rates decreased by 41 percent from 63.8 to 37.7 (deaths per 100,000).
Revere’s Youth Risk and Behavior Survey documents gains made from 1999 to 2007 through community substance abuse prevention, intervention, and policy efforts. Revere students reported less tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana use over time. In addition, Revere high school students have reported an increased difficulty in obtaining substances, suggesting policy and community efforts may have contributed to this change.