HHF Receives Generous Grant

Hamot Health Foundation has been awarded a grant in excess of $330,000 through the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP).

Opioid abuse takes a serious toll on Americans. According to the most recent statistical data from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, opioid overdoses claim the lives of 185 people in the United States daily. These fatalities constitute nearly 70% of all overdose deaths in our nation. In Pennsylvania, opioid overdoses result in 2,866 deaths each year.

Also of great concern are two specific medical conditions that may occur when a woman uses opioids during pregnancy — neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) and neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS).

To administer this critical DDAP funding, Hamot Health Foundation will partner with UPMC Western Behavioral Health at Safe Harbor in Erie County as well as Single County Authority (SCA) programs in Crawford County and Venango County. As a result of the funding, services will be made available for a seven-month period with the possibility of a 12-month renewal.

Services made possible by the DDAP grant

• Mobile case management and certified recovery specialist positions in all three counties.
• Recovery activities including assisting women and their children in developing natural supports, learning new skills for living in recovery, finding meaningful use of time, and promoting increased emotional support.
• Funding for planning and oversight of staffing at UPMC Western Behavioral Health at Safe Harbor.
• Support and expertise as well as education for providers related to addiction in pregnant and postpartum women at the Women’s Recovery Center at UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital–UPMC Hamot Campus.

Community health is one of four primary mission tenets at Hamot Health Foundation that motivate us each and every day to seek out solutions and make a difference!