Yates County is participating in the HEALing Communities Research Study with the goal of reducing opioid deaths by 40% over four years. Yates County is one of 67 communities in four states that were selected to take part in this ground-breaking $350 million study.
Columbia University was awarded $86 million to lead the research effort among the 16 participating communities in New York where 3,224 people died in 2017 of overdoses involving opioids. Communities were selected at random with a focus on rural communities, to test evidence-based practices and reduce the stigma of opioid use disorder and treatment.
The HEALing Communities Study is not only a large effort to find scientific solutions to stop opioid overdoses, but also a study on how communities and grassroots organizations are vital in the fight to combat opioid deaths.
The Yates County Healing Communities Study is a collaborative partnership with The Yates County Department of Community Services, The National Institute of Health (NIH) Columbia University, Finger Lakes Area Counseling and Referral Agency (FLACRA) and numerous area services providers.
Part of the National Institute of Health’s HEAL (Helping to End Addiction Long-term) Initiative, the HEALing Communities Study is funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse along with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. For more information on the study and its participants, visit the https://heal.nih.gov — type heal initiative in the search box.