Revere health director reports drop in overdoses, outlines spending and five‑year plan

The director of Revere’s Department of Health briefed the council on the city’s substance‑use response and budgeted program spending, reporting what she said were reductions in several measures and outlining how funds have been used.

The director told the council that state and local data show a 10–15% decrease in substance‑use incidents from 2023 to 2024 and said the department expects further declines in the upcoming months. She cited combined responses from police and fire to overdose and substance incidents and said the city recorded multiple responses and some overdose fatalities in recent reporting periods.

Program finances summarized in the presentation included expenditures on prevention, housing assistance and medications. The director gave line items and participation figures for multiple programs (percent allocations reported during the briefing: approximately 40% for housing, 30% prevention and 30% harm reduction in the cited breakdown). She also presented program totals and noted that the city has distributed naloxone units and expanded training for local businesses and personnel.

The director urged support for a five‑year plan that would increase flexibility for housing and short‑term assistance so residents coming out of programs can secure furnishings and moving assistance. She cited success stories of residents who obtained housing and employment after program participation.

Councilors and staff asked clarifying questions about program counts and specific expenditures; the director committed to supplying more detailed written budget pages and participant counts for follow‑up review.